When bound to eIF4E, 4E-BP1 (also known as PHAS-1) inhibits cap-dependent translation.
Upon hyperphosphorylation of 4E-BP1 this interaction is disrupted and cap-dependent translation is activated (1). Both the PI3 kinase/Akt pathway and FRAP/mTOR kinase regulate 4E-BP1 activity (2,3). Multiple 4E-BP1 residues are phosphorylated in vivo (4); while phosphorylation by FRAP/mTOR on Thr37 and Thr46 does not prevent the binding of 4E-BP1 to eIF4E, it is thought to prime 4E-BP1 for subsequent phosphorylation at Ser65 and Thr70 (5).
PHAS-I, also known as eIF4E-BP1 and PHAS-II,-III (eIF4E-BP2, 3), are members of a family of proteins that regulate eukaryotic translation initiation which is mediated by the cap structure (m7GpppN, where N=any nucleotide) present at the 5