Eukaryotic gene expression is a complicated process primarily regulated at the levels of gene transcription and mRNA translation. The latter involves four main steps: initiation, elongation, termination and recycling. Translation regulation is primarily achieved during initiation which is orchestrated by 12 currently known eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs). Eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) are proteins involved in the initiation phase of eukaryotic translation. These proteins help stabilize the formation of the functional ribosome around the start codon and also provide regulatory mechanisms in translation initiation.
