EIF2A

Also known as EIF-2A, MST089, MSTP004, MSTP089, CDA02, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A (eIF2A) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the EIF2A gene. The eIF2A protein is not to be confused with eIF2α, a subunit of the heterotrimeric eIF2 complex. Instead, eIF2A functions by a separate mechanism in eukaryotic translation.

Gene data

EIF2A

Name: eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A
Type: protein-coding
Position: 150,546,678–150,586,016 (+)
Aliases: CDA02, EIF-2A, MST089, MSTP004, MSTP089
Ensembl: ENSG00000144895
RefSeq RNA: NM_001319043.2, NM_001319044.2, NM_001319045.2, NM_001319046.2, NM_032025.5
RefSeq protein: NP_001305972.1, NP_001305973.1, NP_001305974.1, NP_001305975.1, NP_114414.2

This gene encodes a eukaryotic translation initiation factor that catalyzes the formation of puromycin-sensitive 80 S preinitiation complexes and the poly(U)-directed synthesis of polyphenylalanine at low concentrations of Mg2+. This gene should not be confused with eIF2-alpha (EIF2S1, Gene ID: 1965), the alpha subunit of the eIF2 translation initiation complex. Although both of these proteins function in binding initiator tRNA to the 40 S ribosomal subunit, the encoded protein does so in a codon-dependent manner, whereas eIF2 complex requires GTP. Alternative splicing of this gene results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2016].