Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 1AX (EIF1AX)

The small eukaryotic initiation factor eIF4C is implicated in the translation initiation pathway, where it enhances ribosome dissociation into subunits and stabilizes the binding of the initiator Met-tRNA to 40S ribosomal subunits.The sequence of the predicted 144-amino acid human protein was identical to that of rabbit eIF4C except in a single position.

Sequence analysis revealed that eIF4C has a polar structure, with 9 of the first 15 amino acids being basic and 13 of the last 20 amino acids being acidic. The authors suggested that the dipole nature of the protein may allow it to interact with 2 different types of surfaces, perhaps functioning as a bridge between 2 initiation factors or between an initiation factor and the ribosome.