Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''EEF2''
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
. It is the archaeal and eukaryotic counterpart of bacterial
EF-G
EF-G (elongation factor G, historically known as translocase) is a prokaryotic elongation factor involved in protein translation. As a GTPase, EF-G catalyzes the movement (translocation) of transfer RNA (tRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) through t ...
.
This gene encodes a member of the
GTP-binding translation
elongation factor
Elongation factors are a set of proteins that function at the ribosome, during protein synthesis, to facilitate translational elongation from the formation of the first to the last peptide bond of a growing polypeptide. Most common elongation f ...
family. This protein is an essential factor for protein synthesis. It promotes the GTP-dependent translocation of the ribosome. This protein is completely inactivated by
EF-2 kinase phosphorylation.
aEF2/eEF2 found in most archaea and eukaryotes, including humans, contains a post translationally modified histidine
diphthamide
Diphthamide is a post-translationally modified histidine amino acid found in archaeal and eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF-2).
Structure
Diphthamide is proposed to be a 2- -carboxyamido-3-(trimethylammonio)propylistidine. Though this structure ...
.
[ It is the target of ]diphtheria toxin
Diphtheria toxin is an exotoxin secreted by '' Corynebacterium diphtheriae'', the pathogenic bacterium that causes diphtheria. The toxin gene is encoded by a prophageA prophage is a virus that has inserted itself into the genome of the host ...
(from ''Corynebacterium diphtheriae
''Corynebacterium diphtheriae'' is the pathogenic bacterium that causes diphtheria. It is also known as the Klebs–Löffler bacillus, because it was discovered in 1884 by German bacteriologists Edwin Klebs (1834–1912) and Friedrich Löffl ...
''), and exotoxin A
The Pseudomonas exotoxin (or exotoxin A) is an exotoxin produced by ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa''. ''Vibrio cholerae'' produces a similar protein called the Cholix toxin ().
It inhibits elongation factor-2. It does so by ADP-ribosylation of EF2 ...
(from ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa
''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' is a common encapsulated, gram-negative, aerobic–facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium that can cause disease in plants and animals, including humans. A species of considerable medical importance, ''P. aerugi ...
'').
References
Further reading
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External links
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