内部核糖体进入位点及应用

Internal Ribosome Entry Site and Its Application

真核细胞翻译的起始能在两种不同机制下发生,即帽依赖及内部核糖体进入位点方式。后者需通过形成复杂的RNA结构元件称为内部核糖体进入位点／片段(IRES),位于信使RNA 5′端非翻译区(5′-NTR),在反式作用因子存在的情况下可募集核糖体且不需帽子结构启动翻译。随着研究的深入越来越多的病毒及细胞IRES被发现,并逐渐应用到生命科学的研究中。

Initiation of translation in eukaryotic cells occurs by two different mechanisms, capdependent scanning and internal ribosome entry. The latter requires the formation of complex RNA structural elements termed internal ribosomes entry site or segment （IRES）. IRES is located in the 5′untranslated region （5′-NTR） of messenger RNA, and in the presence of transacting factors it allows the ribosome to be recruited and starts translation without the aid of cap structure. With the advances in the research of the field, and with more and more viral and cellular IRES being identified, the IRES will find wider application in life sciences.