Initiation factors

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Initiation Factors are a group of proteins that are essential for the initiation of protein synthesis. They are involved in the assembly of the ribosome on the mRNA and the binding of the first tRNA to the start codon.

Function[edit | edit source]

Initiation factors are responsible for the initiation of protein synthesis. They help in the assembly of the ribosome on the mRNA, the binding of the first tRNA to the start codon, and the release of the ribosome from the mRNA once the protein synthesis is complete.

Types[edit | edit source]

There are three main types of initiation factors: IF1, IF2, and IF3.

  • IF1 is involved in the binding of the mRNA to the small subunit of the ribosome.
  • IF2 is responsible for the binding of the first tRNA to the start codon on the mRNA.
  • IF3 prevents the premature binding of the large subunit of the ribosome to the mRNA.

Role in Disease[edit | edit source]

Abnormalities in the function of initiation factors can lead to various diseases. For example, mutations in the genes encoding for these factors can cause cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and autoimmune diseases.

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


Initiation factors Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD