title: Amino acids as regulators of gene expression at the level of mRNA translation.
abstract: Amino acids act through a number of signaling pathways and mechanisms to mediate control of gene expression at the level of mRNA translation. This report reviews recent findings that illustrate the manner through which amino acids act to regulate the initiation phase of mRNA translation. The report focuses on signaling pathways that involve the eukaryotic initiation factor-2 (eIF2) protein kinase, general control non-derepressing kinase-2 and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein kinase. It also describes the mechanisms through which amino acid-induced modulation of eIF2 phosphorylation and mTOR-mediated signaling cause derepression of translation of specific mRNAs and result in an overall change in the pattern of gene expression. Finally, it provides examples of mRNAs whose translation is modulated through these mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA. jjefferson@psu.edu
authors.forename: Leonard S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Jefferson
authors.forename: Scot R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kimball
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D039603:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4G / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D038601:Ribosomal Protein S6 / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000596:Amino Acids; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; C087000:EIF4EBP1 protein, human; D039603:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4G; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D038601:Ribosomal Protein S6; D011494:Protein Kinases; C546842:MTOR protein, human; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases