EIF5A
Encyclopedia
Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A-1 is a protein
that in humans is encoded by the EIF5A gene
.
It is the only known protein to contain the unusual amino acid hypusine
[N (ε)- (4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl)-lysine], which is formed from the polyamine spermidine
by two catalytic steps.
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
that in humans is encoded by the EIF5A gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
.
It is the only known protein to contain the unusual amino acid hypusine
Hypusine
Hypusine is an unusual amino acid found in all eukaryotes and in some archaea, but not in bacteria. The only known protein containing hypusine is eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A and a similar protein found in archaebacteria. In humans, two isoforms of eIF-5A have been described:...
[N (ε)- (4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl)-lysine], which is formed from the polyamine spermidine
Spermidine
Spermidine is a polyamine involved in cellular metabolism. Its known actions include:#Inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase, nNOS#Assisting the in vitro process of transcribing RNA via stimulation of T4 polynucleotide kinase and T7 RNA polymerase activity; it binds to and precipitates DNA...
by two catalytic steps.