Starting the protein synthesis machine: eukaryotic translation initiation.
The final assembly of the protein synthesis machinery occurs during translation initiation. This delicate process involves both ends of eukaryotic messenger RNAs as well as multiple sequential protein-RNA and protein-protein interactions. As is expected from its critical position in the gene expression pathway between the transcriptome and the proteome, translation initiation is a selective and highly regulated process. This synopsis summarises the current status of the field and identifies intriguing open questions.
Preiss
Thomas
T
Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (VCCRI), Molecular Genetics Program, Sydney, Australia. t.preiss@victorchang.unsw.edu.au
W  Hentze
Matthias
M
D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D039642:Eukaryotic Initiation Factors; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010442:Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational; D011485:Protein Binding; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000737:chemistry*
D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D039642:Eukaryotic Initiation Factors; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger