Rocaglates convert DEAD-box protein eIF4A into a sequence-selective translational repressor

ABSTRACT: Rocaglamide A (RocA) typifies a class of protein synthesis inhibitors that selectively kill aneuploid tumor cells and repress translation of specific mRNAs. RocA targets eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF4A), an ATP-dependent DEAD-box RNA helicase; its mRNA selectivity is proposed to reflect highly structured 5′ UTRs that depend strongly on eIF4A-mediated unwinding. However, rocaglate treatment may not phenocopy the loss of eIF4A activity, as these drugs actually increase the affinity between eIF4A and RNA. Here, we show that secondary structure in 5′ UTRs is only a minor determinant for RocA selectivity and RocA does not repress translation by reducing eIF4A availability. Rather, in vitro and in cells, RocA specifically clamps eIF4A onto polypurine sequences in an ATP-independent ma

ORGANISM(S): synthetic construct

SUBMITTER: Nicholas Ingolia 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-79392 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress