Description
Product Characteristics:
Functions in the early steps of protein synthesis by forming a ternary complex with GTP and initiator tRNA. This complex binds to a 4S ribosomal subunit, followed by mRNA binding to form a 43S preinitiation complex. Junction of the 6S ribosomal subunit to form the 8S initiation complex is preceded by hydrolysis of the GTP bound to eIF-2 and release of an eIF-2-GDP binary complex. In order for eIF-2 to recycle and catalyze another round of initiation, the GDP bound to eIF-2 must exchange with GTP by way of a reaction catalyzed by eIF-2B.
Subcellular location: Cytoplasm
Synonyms: EIF2, EIF-2, EIF2A, EIF-2A, EIF-2alpha, Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit 1, Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit alpha, eIF-2-alpha, EIF2S1
Target Information: This gene encodes a member of the E protein (class I) family of helix-loop-helix transcription factors. E proteins activate transcription by binding to regulatory E-box sequences on target genes as heterodimers or homodimers, and are inhibited by heterodimerization with inhibitor of DNA-binding (class IV) helix-loop-helix proteins. E proteins play a critical role in lymphopoiesis, and the encoded protein is required for B and T lymphocyte development. Deletion of this gene or diminished activity of the encoded protein may play a role in lymphoid malignancies. This gene is also involved in several chromosomal translocations that are associated with lymphoid malignancies including pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (t(1\,19), with PBX1), childhood leukemia (t(19\,19), with TFPT) and acute leukemia (t(12\,19), with ZNF384). Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding multiple isoforms have been observed for this gene, and a pseudogene of this gene is located on the short arm of chromosome 9. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2011]