Eukaryotic protein synthesis initiation factor 4B eIF-4B) is an 80,000 dalton polypeptide which is essential for the binding of mRNA to ribosomes. The amino-terminal domain of eIF-4B contains a consensus RNA binding domain present in a number of other RNA binding proteins (1). It
contains a ribonucleoprotein consensus sequence (RNP-CS)/RNA recognition motif (RRM). Deletions which remove this region abolish the ability of eIF-4B to cooperate with eIF-4A in RNA binding and the ability to stimulate the helicase activity of eIF-4A. Results indicate that the carboxy-terminal RNA-binding region of eIF-4B is essential for eIF-4B function and is distinct from the RNP-CS/RRM (2). eIF4F binds to the mRNA cap structure and, in combination with eIF4B, is
believed to unwind the secondary structure in the 5