| Primary Identifier | IPR001884 | Type | Family |
| Short Name | IF5A-like |
| description | Eukaryotic eIF-5A was initially thought to function as a translation initiation factor, based on its ability to stimulate methionyl-puromycin synthesis. However, subsequent work revealed a role for eIF5A in translation elongation [, ]. Depletion or inactivation of eIF-5A in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Baker's yeast) resulted in the accumulation of polysomes and an increase in ribosomal transit times. Addition of recombinant eIF-5A from yeast, but not a derivative lacking hypusine, enhanced the rate of tripeptide synthesis in vitro. Moreover, inactivation of eIF-5A mimicked the effects of the eEF2 inhibitor sordarin, indicating that eIF-5A might function together with eEF2 to promote ribosomal translocation. Finally, it was shown that eIF5A is specifically required to promote peptide-bond formation between consecutive proline residues. It has been proposed to stimulate the peptidyl-transferase activity of the ribosome and facilitate the reactivity of poor substrates like proline [].eIF-5A is a cofactor for the Rev and Rex transactivator proteins of human immunodeficiency virus-1 and T-cell leukaemia virus I, respectively [, , ]. IF-5A is the sole protein in eukaryotes and archaea to contain the unusual amino acid hypusine (Ne-(4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl)lysine) that is an absolute functional requirement. The first step in the post-translational modification of lysine to hypusine is catalyzed by the enzyme deoxyhypusine synthase, the structure of which has been reported []. The archaeal IF-5A proteins have not been studied as comprehensively as their eukaryotic homologues, though the crystal structure of the Pyrobaculum aerophilum protein has been determined. Unmodified P. aerophilum IF-5A is found to be a beta structure with two domains and three separate hydrophobic cores. The lysine (Lys42) that is post-translationally modified by deoxyhypusine synthase is found at one end of the IF-5A molecule in a turn between beta strands beta4 and beta5; this lysine residue is freely solvent accessible.The C-terminal domain is found to be homologous to the cold-shock protein CspA of E. coli, which has a well characterised RNA-binding fold, suggesting that IF-5A is involved in RNA binding [].This family also includes the Woronin body major protein Hex1, whose sequence and structure are similar to eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A), suggesting they share a common ancestor during evolution []. Woronin bodies are important for stress resistance and virulence []. |
