Molecular basis for the interactions of eIF2β with eIF5, eIF2B, and 5MP1 and their regulation by CK2

Abstract

The heterotrimeric GTPase eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2) delivers the initiator Met-tRNAi to the ribosomal translation preinitiation complex (PIC). eIF2{beta} has three lysine-rich repeats (K-boxes), important for binding to the GTPase-activating protein eIF5, the guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF2B, and the regulator eIF5-mimic protein (5MP). Here, we combine X-ray crystallography with NMR to understand the molecular basis and dynamics of these interactions. The crystal structure of yeast eIF5-CTD in complex with eIF2{beta} K-box 3 reveals an extended binding site on eIF2{beta}, far beyond the K-box. We show that eIF2{beta} contains three distinct binding sites, centered on each of the K-boxes, and human eIF5, eIF2B{varepsilon}, and 5MP1 can bind to all three sites, while reducing each others affinities. Our results reveal how eIF2B speeds up the dissociation of eIF5 from eIF2-GDP to promote nucleotide exchange; and how 5MP1 can destabilize eIF5 binding to eIF2 and the PIC, to promote stringent start codon selection. All these affinities are increased by CK2 phosphomimetic mutations, highlighting the role of CK2 in both remodeling and stabilizing the translation apparatus.