eIF2B

eIF2B is a protein found in eukaryotes. It is the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 and therefore converts the inactive eIF2-GDP to the active eIF2-GTP. This activation is hindered by phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eIF2, which leads to a stable eIF2α-P-GDP-eIF2B complex and therefore inhibits translation initiation.[1]

Human genes which encode eIF-2B proteins include:

  • EIF2B1 – alpha subunit (26kDa)
  • EIF2B2 – beta subunit (39kDa)
  • EIF2B3 – gamma subunit (58kDa)
  • EIF2B4 – delta subunit (67kDa)
  • EIF2B5 – epsilon subunit (82kDa)



  1. "eIF2B, a mediator of general and gene-specific translational control". Biochem Soc Trans. 33 (Pt 6): 1487–92. Dec 2005. doi:10.1042/BST20051487. PMID 16246152.
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