Ik. Ali et al., Truncated initiation factor eIF4G lacking an eIF4E binding site can support capped mRNA translation, EMBO J, 20(15), 2001, pp. 4233-4242
Picornavirus proteases cleave translation initiation factor eIF4G into a C-
terminal two-thirds fragment (hereafter named p100) and an N-terminal one-t
hird fragment, which interacts with the cap-binding factor eIF4E. As the ti
ming of this cleavage correlates broadly with the shut-off of host cell pro
tein synthesis in infected cells, a very widespread presumption has been th
at p100 cannot support capped mRNA translation. Through the use of an eIF4G
-depleted reticulocyte lysate system, we show that this presumption is inco
rrect. Moreover, recombinant p100 can also reverse the inhibition of capped
mRNA translation caused either by m(7)GpppG cap analogue, by 4E-BP1, which
sequesters eIF4E and thus blocks its association with eIF4G, or by cleavag
e of endogenous eIF4G by picornavirus proteases. The concentration of p100
required for maximum translation of capped mRNAs is similar to4-fold higher
than the endogenous eIF4G concentration in reticulocyte lysates. Our resul
ts imply that picornavirus-induced shut-off is not due to an intrinsic inab
ility of p100 to support capped mRNA translation, but to the viral RNA outc
ompeting host cell mRNA for the limiting concentration of p100.