scholarly journals Eukaryotic translation initiation factors as promising targets in cancer therapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peiqi Hao ◽  
Jiaojiao Yu ◽  
Richard Ward ◽  
Yin Liu ◽  
Qiao Hao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Messenger Rna ◽  
Eukaryotic Translation ◽  
Initiation Factors ◽  
Initiation Phase ◽  
Translation Initiation Factors ◽  
Promising Therapeutic Target ◽  
Selective Translation ◽  
Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factors

AbstractThe regulation of the translation of messenger RNA (mRNA) in eukaryotic cells is critical for gene expression, and occurs principally at the initiation phase which is mainly regulated by eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs). eIFs are fundamental for the translation of mRNA and as such act as the primary targets of several signaling pathways to regulate gene expression. Mis-regulated mRNA expression is a common feature of tumorigenesis and the abnormal activity of eIF complexes triggered by upstream signaling pathways is detected in many tumors, leading to the selective translation of mRNA encoding proteins involved in tumorigenesis, metastasis, or resistance to anti-cancer drugs, and making eIFs a promising therapeutic target for various types of cancers. Here, we briefly outline our current understanding of the biology of eIFs, mainly focusing on the effects of several signaling pathways upon their functions and discuss their contributions to the initiation and progression of tumor growth. An overview of the progress in developing agents targeting the components of translation machinery for cancer treatment is also provided.

scholarly journals Dynamic competition between SARS-CoV-2 NSP1 and mRNA on the human ribosome inhibits translation initiation

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (6) ◽  
pp. e2017715118
Author(s):  
Christopher P. Lapointe ◽  
Rosslyn Grosely ◽  
Alex G. Johnson ◽  
Jinfan Wang ◽  
Israel S. Fernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Molecule ◽  
Translation Initiation ◽  
Ribosomal Subunit ◽  
Start Codon ◽  
Messenger Rnas ◽  
Eukaryotic Translation ◽  
Initiation Factors ◽  
Translation Initiation Factors ◽  
40S Ribosomal Subunit ◽  
Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factors

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a beta-CoV that recently emerged as a human pathogen and is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. A molecular framework of how the virus manipulates host cellular machinery to facilitate infection remains unclear. Here, we focus on SARS-CoV-2 NSP1, which is proposed to be a virulence factor that inhibits protein synthesis by directly binding the human ribosome. We demonstrate biochemically that NSP1 inhibits translation of model human and SARS-CoV-2 messenger RNAs (mRNAs). NSP1 specifically binds to the small (40S) ribosomal subunit, which is required for translation inhibition. Using single-molecule fluorescence assays to monitor NSP1–40S subunit binding in real time, we determine that eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs) allosterically modulate the interaction of NSP1 with ribosomal preinitiation complexes in the absence of mRNA. We further elucidate that NSP1 competes with RNA segments downstream of the start codon to bind the 40S subunit and that the protein is unable to associate rapidly with 80S ribosomes assembled on an mRNA. Collectively, our findings support a model where NSP1 proteins from viruses in at least two subgenera of beta-CoVs associate with the open head conformation of the 40S subunit to inhibit an early step of translation, by preventing accommodation of mRNA within the entry channel.

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