title: Alternative Mechanisms to Initiate Translation in Eukaryotic mRNAs.
abstract: The composition of the cellular proteome is under the control of multiple processes, one of the most important being translation initiation. The majority of eukaryotic cellular mRNAs initiates translation by the cap-dependent or scanning mode of translation initiation, a mechanism that depends on the recognition of the m(7)G(5')ppp(5')N, known as the cap. However, mRNAs encoding proteins required for cell survival under stress bypass conditions inhibitory to cap-dependent translation; these mRNAs often harbor internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements in their 5'UTRs that mediate internal initiation of translation. This mechanism is also exploited by mRNAs expressed from the genome of viruses infecting eukaryotic cells. In this paper we discuss recent advances in understanding alternative ways to initiate translation across eukaryotic organisms.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolás Cabrera, 1, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Encarnación
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-Salas
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Piñeiro
authors.forename: Noemí
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fernández