Tale of two DEAD-box RNA helicases: Ded1 and eIF4A have distinct but overlapping functions in regulating eukaryotic translation initiation in vivo

FARE Award Winner

Authors

• ND Sen
• F Zhou
• NT Ingolia
• AG Hinnebusch

Abstract

DEAD-box RNA helicases eIF4A and Ded1 are believed to promote translation initiation by resolving mRNA secondary structures that impede ribosome attachment at the mRNA 5’ end or subsequent scanning of the 5’UTR, but whether they perform distinct or overlapping functions in vivo is poorly understood. We compared effects of mutations in Ded1 or eIF4A on global translational efficiencies (TEs) in yeast by ribosome profiling. Despite similar reductions in bulk translation, inactivation of a cold-sensitive Ded1 mutant substantially reduced TEs of >600 mRNAs, whereas inactivation of a temperature-sensitive eIF4A mutant yielded

Scientific Focus Area: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

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