Figure 1.
The eIF4F translation initiation complex. The main components of the eIF4F translation initiation complex are eIF4A, the DEAD-box helicase, eIF4G, the scaffolding protein, and eIF4E, the cap-binding protein. eIF4G binds to both eIF4A and eIF4E, and it also helps to recruit eIF3, which then recruits the 40S ribosomal unit. eIF4G binds to PABP, which binds to the poly-(A) tail of mRNA and helps to circularize it. eIF4A helicase activity helps resolve mRNA secondary structure and is stimulated by eIF4B and eIF4H, which share a common binding site allowing only one of these factors to bind to eIF4A at a time.
