Regulation of polypeptide chain initiation and activity of initiation factor eIF-2 in Chinese-hamster-ovary cell mutants containing temperature-sensitive aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

The regulation of polypeptide chain initiation has been investigated in extracts from a number of well-characterized Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell mutants containing different temperature-sensitive aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. These cells exhibit a large decline in the rate of initiation when cultures are shifted from the permissive temperature of 34 degrees C to the non-permissive temperature of 39.5 degrees C. During a brief incubation with [35S]Met-tRNAMetf or [35S]methionine, formation of initiation complexes on native 40S ribosomal subunits and 80S ribosomes is severely impaired in extracts from the mutant cell lines exposed to 39.5 degrees C. Wild-type cells exposed to 39.5 degrees C do not show any inhibition of protein synthesis or initiation complex formation. Inhibition of formation of 40S initiation complexes in the extracts from mutant cells, incubated at the non-permissive temperature, is shown to be independent of possible changes in mRNA binding or the rate of polypeptide chain elongation and is not due to any decrease in the total amount of initiation factor eIF-2 present. However, assays of eIF-2 X GTP X Met-tRNAMetf ternary complex formation in postribosomal supernatants from the temperature-sensitive mutants reveal a marked defect in the activity of eIF-2 after exposure of the cells to 39.5 degrees C and addition of exogenous eIF-2 to cell-free protein-synthesizing systems from cells incubated at 34 degrees C and 39.5 degrees C eliminates the difference in activity between them. The activity of the initiation factor itself is not directly temperature-sensitive in the mutant CHO cells. The results suggest that the activity of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases can affect the ability of eIF-2 to bind Met-tRNAMetf and form 40S initiation complexes in intact cells, indicating a regulatory link between polypeptide chain elongation and chain initiation.     

Activation of hemin-regulated initiation factor-2 kinase in heat-shocked HeLa cells

Protein synthesis was drastically inhibited in HeLa cells incubated for 5 min at 42.5 degrees C, but it resumed after 20 min at a rate about 50% that of control cells. After 10 min of heat shock, the binding of Met-tRNAf to 40 S ribosomal subunits was greatly reduced and a polypeptide identified by immunoprecipitation with the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor-2 (eIF-2) was phosphorylated. Extracts prepared from control and heat-shocked cells were assayed for in vitro protein synthesis. Both extracts were active when supplemented with hemin, but the extract from heat-shocked cells had little initiation activity without this addition. A Mr 90,000 polypeptide and eIF-2 alpha were phosphorylated in this extract, but hemin or an antibody which inhibits the protein kinase designated heme-controlled repressor reduced this phosphorylation. These findings implicated heme-controlled repressor as the kinase at least in part responsible for eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation. Furthermore, the initial inhibition of protein synthesis and eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation after heat shock were reduced by adding hemin to intact HeLa cells. These cells synthesized heat-shock proteins with some delay relative to cells without added hemin. The binding of Met-tRNAf to 40 S ribosomal subunits was inhibited by about 50% in extracts prepared from cells heat-shocked for 40 min, and eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation was increased in these cells. These results suggest that heme-controlled repressor is activated in heat-shocked cells and that eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation limits mRNA translation even after partial recovery of protein synthesis.     

Regulation of polypeptide chain initiation in Chinese hamster ovary cells with a temperature-sensitive leucyl-tRNA synthetase. Changes in phosphorylation of initiation factor eIF-2 and in the activity of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor GEF

When cultures of the temperature-sensitive Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant tsH1 are shifted from 34 degrees C (permissive temperature) to 39.5 degrees C (nonpermissive temperature), protein synthesis is inhibited by more than 80%. This is due principally to a block in activity of polypeptide chain initiation factor eIF-2. In this paper we show that there is impairment of the ability of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) to displace GDP from eIF-2 X GDP complexes in extracts from cells incubated at the nonpermissive temperature. Addition of GEF or of high concentrations of eIF-2 stimulates protein synthesis to the level observed in control cell extracts, suggesting that GEF is rate-limiting for eIF-2 activity and overall protein synthesis at the nonpermissive temperature. Analysis of eIF-2 by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting reveals an increase in the proportion of the alpha subunit in the phosphorylated form from 5.5 +/- 2.4% to 17.2 +/- 3.9% on shifting tsH1 cells from 34 to 39.5 degrees C. No such effect is seen in wild-type cells, which do not exhibit temperature-sensitive protein synthetic activity. Since the primary lesion in tsH1 cells is in their leucyl-tRNA synthetase, these results suggest a role for eIF-2 phosphorylation and GEF activity in coupling the rate of polypeptide chain initiation to the activity of the chain elongation machinery.     

Differential effects of two interferon-induced translational inhibitors on initiation of protein synthesis.

At least two different mechanisms for the inhibition of mRNA translation operate in extracts of interferon-treated L cells. One is mediated by an interferon-induced protein kinase which, when activated by double-stranded RNA and ATP, phosphorylates the small subunit of initiation factor eIF-2. Addition of the purified interferon-induced protein kinase to L cell extracts, strongly reduces the amount of methionyl-tRNA bound to 40-S ribosomal subunits. The second translational inhibition is due to the synthesis of (2'-5')oligo(adenylate) by interferon-induced enzyme E. The oligonucleotide in turn activates a ribonuclease F constitutively present in L cells. Addition of the purified nuclease with its oligonucleotide activator to L cell extracts produces a strong decrease in polyribosome formation and an accumulation of initiation complex. These experiments differentiate the effects of the two interferon-induced inhibitors on mRNA translation.     

Translational control by influenza virus: suppression of the kinase that phosphorylates the alpha subunit of initiation factor eIF-2 and selective translation of influenza viral mRNAs.

Selective translation of influenza viral mRNAs occurs after influenza virus superinfection of cells infected with the VAI RNA-negative adenovirus mutant dl331 (M. G. Katze, Y.-T. Chen, and R. M. Krug, Cell 37:483-490, 1984). Cell extracts from these doubly infected cells catalyze the initiation of essentially only influenza viral protein synthesis, reproducing the in vivo situation. This selective translation is correlated with a 5- to 10-fold suppression of the dl331-induced kinase that phosphorylates the alpha subunit of eucaryotic initiation factor eIF-2. This strongly suggests that influenza virus encodes a gene product that, analogous to the adenoviral VAI RNA, prevents the shutdown of overall protein synthesis caused by an eIF-2 alpha kinase turned on by viral infection. Adenoviral mRNA translation was restored to the extract from the doubly infected cells by the addition of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF-2B, which is responsible for the normal recycling of eIF-2 during protein synthesis. This indicates that the residual kinase in the doubly infected cells leads to a limitation in functional (nonsequestered) eIF-2B and hence functional (GTP-containing) eIF-2 and that under these conditions influenza viral mRNAs are selectively translated over adenoviral mRNAs. Addition of double-stranded RNA to the extracts from these cells restored the eIF-2 alpha kinase to a level approaching that seen in extracts from cells infected with dl331 alone and caused the inhibition of influenza viral mRNA translation. This suggests that the putative influenza viral gene product acts against the double-stranded RNA activation of the kinase and indicates that influenza viral mRNA translation is also linked to the level of functional eIF-2. Our results thus indicate that a limitation in functional eIF-2 which causes a nonspecific reduction in the rate of initiation of protein synthesis results in the preferential translation of the better mRNAs (influenza viral mRNAs) at the expense of the poorer mRNAs (adenoviral mRNAs).     

Translational stimulation by reovirus polypeptide sigma 3: substitution for VAI RNA and inhibition of phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2.

COS cells transfected with plasmids that activate DAI depend on expression of virus-associated I (VAI) RNA to prevent the inhibitory effects of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2 alpha) kinase (DAI) and restore the translation of vector-derived dihydrofolate reductase mRNA. This VAI RNA requirement could be completely replaced by reovirus polypeptide sigma 3, consistent with its double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-binding activity. S4 gene transfection of 293 cells also partially restored adenovirus protein synthesis after infection with the VAI-negative dl331 mutant. In dl331-infected 293 cells, eIF-2 alpha was present mainly in the acidic, phosphorylated form, and trans complementation with polypeptide sigma 3 or VAI RNA decreased the proportion of eIF-2 alpha (P) from approximately 85 to approximately 30%. Activation of DAI by addition of dsRNA to extracts of S4 DNA-transfected COS cells required 10-fold-higher levels of dsRNA than extracts made from cells that were not producing polypeptide sigma 3. In extracts of reovirus-infected mouse L cells, the concentration of dsRNA needed to activate DAI was dependent on the viral serotype used for the infection. Although the proportion of eIF-2 alpha (P) was greater than that in uninfected cells, most of the factor remained in the unphosphorylated form, even at 16 h after infection, consistent with the partial inhibition of host protein synthesis observed with all three viral serotypes. The results indicate that reovirus polypeptide sigma 3 participates in the regulation of protein synthesis by modulating DAI and eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation.     

Evidence that the primary effect of phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2(alpha) in rabbit reticulocyte lysate is inhibition of the release of eukaryotic initiation factor-2.GDP from 60 S ribosomal subunits

The phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 2 alpha that occurs when rabbit reticulocyte lysate is incubated in the absence of hemin or with poly(I.C) causes inhibition of polypeptide chain initiation by preventing a separate factor (termed RF) from promoting the exchange of GTP for GDP on eIF-2. When lysate was incubated in the presence of hemin and [14C] eIF-2 or [alpha-32P]GTP, we observed binding of eIF-2 and GDP or GTP to 60 S ribosomal subunits that was slightly greater than that bound to 40 S subunits and little binding to 80 S ribosomes. When incubation was in the absence of hemin or in the presence of hemin plus 0.1 microgram/ml poly(I.C), eIF-2 and GDP binding to 60 S subunits was increased 1.5- to 2-fold, that bound to 80 S ribosomes was almost as great as that bound to 60 S subunits, and that bound to 40 S subunits was unchanged. Our data indicate that about 40% of the eIF-2 that becomes bound to 60 S subunits and 80 S ribosomes in the absence of hemin or with poly(I.C) is eIF-2(alpha-P) and suggest that the eIF-2 and GDP bound is probably in the form of a binary complex. The accumulation of eIF-2.GDP on 60 S subunits occurs before binding of Met-tRNAf to 40 S subunits becomes reduced and before protein synthesis becomes inhibited. The rate of turnover of GDP (presumably eIF-2.GDP) on 60 S subunits and 80 S ribosomes in the absence of hemin is reduced to less than 10% the control rate, because the dissociation of eIF-2.GDP is inhibited. Additional RF increases the turnover of eIF-2.GDP on 60 S subunits and 80 S ribosomes to near the control rate by promoting dissociation of eIF-2.GDP but not eIF-2(alpha-P).GDP. Our findings suggest that eIF-2.GTP binding to and eIF-2.GDP release from 60 S subunits may normally occur and serve to promote subunit joining. The phosphorylation of eIF-2 alpha inhibits polypeptide chain initiation by preventing dissociation of eIF-2.GDP from either free 60 S subunits (thus inhibiting subunit joining directly) or the 60 S subunit component of an 80 S initiation complex (thereby blocking elongation and resulting in the dissociation of the 80 S complex).     

A new pathway of translational regulation mediated by eukaryotic initiation factor 3

We report a new pathway of translation regulation that may operate in interferon-treated or virus-infected mammalian cells. This pathway is activated by P56, a protein whose synthesis is strongly induced by interferons or double-stranded RNA. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified the P48 subunit of the mammalian translation initiation factor eIF-3 as a protein that interacts with P56. The P56-P48 interaction was confirmed in human cells by co-immunoprecipitation assays and confocal microscopy. Gel filtration assays revealed that P56 binds to the large eIF-3 complex that contains P48. Purified recombinant P56 inhibited in vitro translation of reporter mRNAs in a dose-dependent fashion, and that inhibition was reversed by the addition of purified eIF-3. In vivo, expression of transfected P56 or induction of the endogenous P56 by interferon caused an inhibition of overall cellular protein synthesis and the synthesis of a transfected reporter protein. As expected, a P56 mutant that does not interact with P48 and eIF-3 failed to inhibit protein synthesis in vitro and in vivo.     

The phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2: a principle of translational control in mammalian cells

In eukaryotic cells, protein biosynthesis is controlled at the level of polypeptide chain initiation. During the initiation process, eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) catalyzes the binding of Met-tRNAf and GTP to the 40S ribosomal subunit. In a later step, eIF-2 is released from the ribosomal initiation complex, most likely as an eIF-2.GDP complex, and another initiation factor termed eIF-2B is necessary to recycle eIF-2 by displacing GDP by GTP. In rabbit reticulocytes, inhibition of protein synthesis is accompanied by the phosphorylation of the alpha-subunit of eIF-2, a process that does not render eIF-2 inactive, but prevents it from being recycled by eIF-2B. First described in rabbit reticulocytes as inhibitors of translation, two distinct eIF-2 alpha kinases are known: the haemin-controlled kinase (termed HCI) and the double-stranded RNA-activated kinase (termed DAI). eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation appears to be a reversible control mechanism since corresponding phosphatases have been described. Recent reports indicate a correlation between eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation and the inhibition of protein synthesis in several mammalian cell types under a range of physiological conditions. In this review, the physical and functional features of the known eIF-2 alpha kinases are described with respect to their role in mammalian cells and the mode of activation by cellular signals. Furthermore, the possible impact of the eIF-2/eIF-2B ratio and of the subcellular compartmentation of these factors (and the eIF-2 alpha kinases) on mammalian protein synthesis is discussed.     

Initiation of mammalian protein synthesis. II. The assembly of the initiation complex with purified initiation factors

The assembly of initiation complexes is studied in a protein synthesis initiation assay containing ribosomal subunits, globin [¹²⁵I]mRNA, [³H]Met-tRNA_f, seven purified initiation factors, ATP and GTP. By omitting single components from the initiation assay, specific roles of the initiation factors, ATP and GTP are demonstrated. The initiation factor eIF-2 is required for the binding of Met-tRNA_f to the 40 S ribosomal subunit. The initial Met-tRNA_f binding to the small ribosomal subunit is a stringent prerequisite for the subsequent mRNA binding. The initiation factors eIF-3, eIF-4A, eIF-4B and eIF-4C together with ATP promote the binding of mRNA to the 40 S initiation complex. The association of the 40 S initiation complex with the 60 S ribosome subunit to form an 80 S initiation complex is mediated by the initiation factor eIF-5 and requires the hydrolysis of GTP. The factor eIF-1 gives a twofold overall stimulation of initiation complex formation. A model of the sequential steps in the assembly of the 80 S initiation complex in mammalian protein synthesis is presented.     

Function of eukaryotic initiation factor 5 in the formation of an 80 S ribosomal polypeptide chain initiation complex.

Eukaryotic initiation factor 5 (eIF-5), isolated from rabbit reticulocyte lysates, is a monomeric protein of 58-62 kDa. The function of eIF-5 in the formation of an 80 S polypeptide chain initiation complex from a 40 S initiation complex has been investigated. Incubation of the isolated 40 S initiation complex (40 S.AUG.Met.tRNAf.eIF-2 GTP) with eIF-5 resulted in the rapid and quantitative hydrolysis of GTP bound to the 40 S initiation complex. The rate of this reaction was unaffected by the presence of 60 S ribosomal subunits. Analysis of eIF-5-catalyzed reaction products by gel filtration indicated that both eIF-2.GDP binary complex and Pi formed were released from the ribosomal complex whereas Met-tRNAf remained bound to 40 S ribosomes as a Met-tRNAf.40 S.AUG complex. Reactions carried out with biologically active 32P-labeled eIF-5 indicated that this protein was not associated with the 40 S.AUG.Met-tRNAf complex; similar results were obtained by immunological methods using monospecific anti-eIF-5 antibodies. The isolated 40 S.AUG.Met-RNAf complex, free of eIF-2.GDP binary complex and eIF-5, readily interacted with 60 S ribosomal subunits in the absence of exogenously added eIF-5 to form the 80 S initiation complex capable of transferring Met-tRNAf into peptide linkages. These results indicate that the sole function of eIF-5 in the initiation of protein synthesis is to mediate hydrolysis of GTP bound to the 40 S initiation complex in the absence of 60 S ribosomal subunits. This leads to formation of the intermediate 40 S.AUG.Met-tRNAf and dissociation of the eIF-2.GDP binary complex. Subsequent joining of 60 S ribosomal subunits to the intermediate 40 S.AUG.Met-tRNAf complex does not require participation of eIF-5. Thus, the formation of an 80 S ribosomal polypeptide chain initiation complex from a 40 S ribosomal initiation complex can be summarized by the following sequence of partial reactions. (40 S.AUG.Met-tRNAf.eIF-2.GTP) eIF-5----(40 S.AUG.Met-tRNAf) + (eIF-2.GDP) + Pi (1) (40 S.AUG.Met-tRNAf) + 60 S----(80 S.AUG.Met-tRNAf) (2) 80 S initiation complex.     

Mechanism of inhibition of polypeptide chain initiation in heat-shocked Ehrlich ascites tumour cells

The rate of polypeptide synthesis is inhibited by 80% in Ehrlich cells incubated at 43 degrees C compared to those at 37 degrees C. The regulatory site of translation resides at polypeptide chain initiation. Polypeptide synthesis does not recover at the higher temperature; however, the inhibition is reversed by returning the cells to 37 degrees C. Neither new RNA synthesis or protein synthesis is required for recovery at 37 degrees C, eliminating degradation of mRNA and irreversible denaturation of a protein essential for polypeptide chain initiation. The concentration of 40-S initiation complexes was found to be reduced markedly in heat-shocked cells compared to controls. This was confirmed in the cell-free protein-synthesizing systems prepared from heat-shocked and control cells. Reversible alteration in the activity of components affecting eIF2 function is, therefore, a likely mechanism of regulation in heat-shocked Ehrlich cells. In extracts from heat-shocked cells, Met-tRNA synthetase activity was unaltered compared to control extracts.     

Protein synthesis in brine shrimp embryos. Dormant and developing embryos of Artemia salina contain equivalent amounts of chain initiation factors 2.

Dormant and developing embryos of Artemia salina contain equivalent amounts of eIF-2, the eukaryotic initiation factor which forms a ternary complex with GTP and Met-tRNAf. The factor was purified from 0.5 M NH4Cl ribosomal washes by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, followed by chromatography on heparin-Sepharose, DEAE-cellulose, hydroxyapatite and phosphocellulose. Purified preparations from dormant and developing embryos have similar specific activities and nucleotide requirements. The mobility of both proteins in dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis is indistinguishable, and each contains three major polypeptide chains of molecular weight 52 000, 45 000 and 42 000. Both proteins are also immunologically identical, and each stimulates amino acid incorporation in a cell-free system of protein synthesis. The binding of [35S]Met-tRNAf to 40-S ribosomal subunits is catalyzed by eIF-2 isolated from dormant or developing embryos and is dependent upon GPT and AUG. Binding of [35S]Met-tRNAf to 40-S ribosomal subunits, and ternary complex formation with eIF-2, GTP, and [35S]Met-tRNAf is stimulated 2--3-fold by a factor present in the 0.5 M NH4Cl ribosomal wash and which elutes from DEAE-cellulose at 50 mM KCl. This protein does not exhibit GTP-dependent binding of [35S]Met-tRNAf. Binding of GDP and GTP was investigated with purified eIF-2 from developing embryos. The factor forms a binary complex with GDP or GTP, and eIF-2-bound [3H]GDP exchanges very slowly with free nucleotides. Our results suggest that eIF-2 does not limit resumption of embryo development following encystment, nor does it limit mRNA translation in extracts from dormant embryos.     

Regulation of polypeptide-chain initiation in rat skeletal muscle. Starvation does not alter the activity or phosphorylation state of initiation factor eIF-2

In rats, 48-h starvation causes a decrease in the rate of protein synthesis in skeletal (e.g. gastrocnemius) muscle, due largely to impairment of peptide-chain initiation. In other cell types inhibition of initiation is associated with decreased activity and recycling of initiation factor eIF-2, and increased phosphorylation of its alpha-subunit. However, 48-h starvation has no effect on the activity or recycling of eIF-2 measured in extracts of gastrocnemius muscle, or on the level of alpha-subunit phosphorylation. The effects of starvation on peptide-chain initiation in skeletal muscle must therefore involve alterations in other components of the translational machinery.     

Cloning and expression of eukaryotic initiation factor 4B cDNA: sequence determination identifies a common RNA recognition motif.

Eukaryotic protein synthesis initiation factor 4B (eIF-4B) is an 80,000 dalton polypeptide which is essential for the binding of mRNA to ribosomes. A highly purified preparation of eIF-4B from HeLa cells was subjected to enzymatic cleavage and amino-terminal amino acid sequence analysis. Degenerate oligonucleotide probes were used to isolate a 3851 bp cDNA encoding eIF-4B from a human cDNA library. The DNA encodes a protein comprising 611 residues with a mass of 69,843 daltons. The amino-terminal domain of eIF-4B contains a consensus RNA binding domain present in a number of other RNA binding proteins. Expression of eIF-4B in transfected COS-1 cells yielded a polypeptide which reacted with anti-eIF-4B antiserum and comigrated with purified eIF-4B. Expression of eIF-4B in COS-1 cells resulted in a general inhibition of translation, possibly due to a 50-fold eIF-4B overproduction.     

Translational control by messenger RNA competition for eukaryotic initiation factor 2

Translation of globin mRNA in a micrococcal nuclease-treated reticulocyte lysate was studied in the presence of increasing amounts of Mengovirus RNA, under conditions in which the number of translation initiation events remains constant as judged by the transfer of label from N-formyl[35S]methionyl-tRNAf into protein. The translation of globin mRNA is progressively inhibited by low concentrations of Mengovirus RNA, free of detectable traces of double-stranded RNA, concomitant with the increasing synthesis of Mengovirus RNA-directed products. On a molar basis, Mengovirus RNA apparently competes about 35 times more effectively than globin mRNA for a critical component in translation. The competition is relieved by the addition of highly purified eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2). Addition of eIF-2 does not stimulate overall protein synthesis, but shifts it in favor of globin synthesis. No stimulation of globin mRNA translation by eIF-2 is seen when Mengovirus RNA is absent. These experiments show that Mengovirus RNA competes, directly or indirectly, with globin mRNA for eIF-2. In direct binding experiments using isolated mRNA and eIF-2, Mengovirus RNA is shown to compete with globin mRNA for eIF-2 and to exhibit a 30-fold higher affinity for this factor. The binding of Mengovirus RNA to eIF-2 is much more resistant to increasing salt concentrations than is the binding of globin mRNA, again reflecting its high affinity. These results reveal a direct correlation between the ability of these mRNA species to compete in translation and their ability to bind to initiation factor eIF-2. They suggest that the affinity of a given mRNA species for eIF-2 is essential in determining its translation, relative to that of other mRNA species. Messenger RNA competition for eIF-2 may contribute significantly to the selective translation of viral RNA in infected cells.     

Inhibition of protein synthesis in reovirus-infected HeLa cells with elevated levels of interferon-induced protein kinase activity

Protein synthesis was inhibited in one line of interferon-treated HeLa cells (line 2) upon infection with reovirus, but not in different HeLa cells (line 1) treated in the same way. The inhibition resulted in polysome runoff, suggesting that it was due to an impairment of peptide chain initiation. Interferon induces the synthesis of a protein kinase, which is activated in cell-free systems by double-stranded RNA and phosphorylates the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2, thus inhibiting the initiation of protein synthesis. Therefore, we measured the level of this protein kinase in extracts prepared from the two HeLa cell lines. Cells of line 2 showed about 3-4 times more protein kinase activity than cells of line 1. The inhibition of protein synthesis upon infection with reovirus was correlated with an increased phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 in interferon-treated cells labeled with 32P. The kinase was presumably activated in intact cells by viral double-stranded RNA, but this activation resulted in inhibition of protein synthesis only in cells with elevated levels of the kinase.     

Effects of starvation, diabetes and acute insulin treatment on the regulation of polypeptide-chain initiation in rat skeletal muscle.

The rate of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle is greatly decreased in response to diabetes and starvation. Analysis of polyribosome profiles indicates that polypeptide-chain initiation is impaired under these conditions. To identify the step in initiation that is affected, we assayed the incorporation of [35S]methionyl-tRNAfMet into [35S]methionyl-tRNAfMet . 40S-ribosomal-subunit initiation complexes in cell-free extracts based on postmitochondrial supernatants prepared from gastrocnemius muscle. Extracts from either starved or diabetic rats were 30-40% less active in forming these complexes compared with those derived from fed or insulin-maintained controls respectively. This change could be reversed by treatment of either starved or diabetic rats with insulin in vivo 30 min before death. Formation of 40S initiation complexes by extracts from either fed or starved rats could be stimulated by the addition of exogenous purified initiation factor eIF-2, but extracts from starved or diabetic rats were more sensitive than controls to stimulation by low concentrations of the factor. These results provide evidence for the acute regulation by insulin of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle at the level of polypeptide-chain initiation, and suggest that in this tissue, as in certain other eukaryotic systems, control of initiation appears to be mediated by changes in the activity of initiation factor eIF-2.