Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''EEF2''
gene
In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...
. 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 mRNA translation. As a GTPase, EF-G catalyzes the movement (translocation) of transfer RNA (tRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) through th ...
.
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 ...
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).
Dipthamide is named after the toxin produced by the bacterium ''Corynebacterium diphtheriae'', which targets diphth ...
.
[ It is the target of ]diphtheria toxin
Diphtheria toxin is an exotoxin secreted mainly by '' Corynebacterium diphtheriae'' but also by ''Corynebacterium ulcerans'' and '' Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis'', the pathogenic bacterium that causes diphtheria. The toxin gene is enco ...
(from ''Corynebacterium diphtheriae
''Corynebacterium diphtheriae'' is a Gram-positive 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 ...
''), 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 u ...
(from ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa
''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' is a common Bacterial capsule, encapsulated, Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-negative, Aerobic organism, aerobic–facultative anaerobe, facultatively anaerobic, Bacillus (shape), rod-shaped bacteria, bacterium that can c ...
'').
References
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External links
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