"Initiation and regulation of protein synthesis is a multi-component and multi-step process involving protein, RNA, and low molecular weight ligands. Protein:RNA interactions are dependent on the sequence and structure of the messenger RNA (mRNA). These interactions are central to which mRNAs are selected for translation as well as determining the site on the message where initiation begins. Under different physiological conditions, which may be influenced by the cellular environment, virus infection, or the stage of the cell cycle, a mRNA may be either selectively translated or stored as an inactive protein:RNA complex (mRNP). Typically, eukaryotic mRNA may be divided into 4 parts: an initial but untranslated section; a sequence that codes for the protein; a following untranslated segment; and finally a poly(A)-tail. Studies have shown the importance of the untranslated regions of a mRNA for its recruitment into protein synthesis. Recently, several viral messages as well as a very limited number of c ellular mRNAs were shown to use more than the usual single coding or open reading frame (ORF). Examination of the mRNA coding for the protein synthesis initiation factor eIF-5A revealed a second possible ORF. The laboratory is currently studying whether this message is a true bicistronic mRNA and under what conditions the second open reading frame is translated. The expression of the second ORF could be controlled at either the level of transcription or translation. The complexity of mRNA from different cell types as well as the genomic complexity containing sequences containing the two putative open reading frames are also being studied."

Goss, D., Woodley, C.L., and Wahba, A.J. A flourescence Study of the Binding of Eukaryotic Initiation Factors to Messenger RNA Analogs. Biochemistry. 26: 1551-1556, 1987

Woodley, C.L., Quigley, T.G., Dholakia, J.N., Reddy, N.S., Miseta, A., and Wahba, A.J. Eukaryotic Polypeptide Chain Initiation Factor 4D is a Calcium-Binding Protein: Isotope Binding Studies and Sequencing of a cDNA Clone. J. Cell. Biol. 107: 109a, 1989

Miseta, A., Woodley, C.L., Greenberg, J.R., and Slobin, L.I. Mammalian Seryl-tRNA Synthetase Associates with mRNA in vivo and has Homology to Elongation Factor 1a. J. Biol. Chem. 266: 19158-19161, 1991