What is it about?
Protein synthesis is a key process in all living cells. It is essential that it is regulated effectively, as unregulated protein synthesis can seriously affect the viability of cells. Initiation of protein synthesis involves a complex called eIF4F that is made up of a scaffold protein, eIF4G as well as eIF4A and eIF4E proteins. Interaction between these proteins is highly regulated. To begin to investigate how this process interaction may be regulated e have analysed the sumoylation status of eIF4G. (SUMO is a small protein modifier, that can facilitate protein-protein interactions).
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Why is it important?
Understanding how protein synthesis is regulated has important consequences for understanding how cell proliferation is controlled. This is important for normal cell growth and to prevent unregulated growth associated with tumorigenesis.
Perspectives
Inability to effectively regulate protein synthesis can have dire consequences for cell. It is now apparent that many translation initiation factors are sumoylated. We have already demonstrated sumoylation of eIF4G, and that this is likely to be a stress response. It will clearly be important to investigate and fully understand the role of sumoylation of other factors and the role(s) that this has in the control of translation.
Dr Felicity Z Watts
University of Sussex
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Weighing up the possibilities: Controlling translation by ubiquitylation and sumoylation, Translation, January 2014, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.4161/trla.29211.
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