Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5 is crucial for the assembly of translation initiation complex and plays an important role in protein synthesis. eIF5 interacts with the 43S initiation complex to stimulate hydrolysis of GTP bound to eIF2. Studies suggest that eIF5 functions as the GTPase-activating protein in the hydrolysis of GTP-bound eIF2. This hydrolysis leads to the release of initiation factors from the 40S ribosomal subunit, which is a necessary step in the formation of the 80S initiation complex.
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