Structural basis for the functional mechanism of eukaryotic initiation factor eIF2

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23687013
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Structural biochemistry
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (2012-2014); The University of Tokyo (2011)
• Principal Investigator: ITO Takuhiro 独立行政法人理化学研究所, ライフサイエンス技術基盤研究センター, ユニットリーダー (70401164)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 翻訳 / 翻訳開始因子 / eIF2 / eIF2B / X線結晶構造解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have determined the 3D structure of eukaryotic initiation factor 2B (eIF2B), which functions as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor specific for eIF2. Furthermore, we determined the eIF2-recognition regions in eIF2B. We identified more than two interaction modes between eIF2 and eIF2, and successfully proposed the structural model how phosphorylated eIF2 inhibits the GEF activity of eIF2B.
We determined the WD-repeat domain of eIF2A, which revealed that the domain possesses nine beta propellers.
We also determined the ternary complex of TrmD, tRNA, and AdoMet analog, which revealed the detailed molecular mechanism of the substrate tRNA recognition.

Free Research Field

構造生物化学