Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 catalyzes the translocation of peptidyl-tRNA from the A site to the P site on the ribosome. It has been shown that phosphorylation of eEF2 at threonine 56 by eEF2 kinase inhibits its activity. eEF2 kinase is normally dependent on Ca2+ ions and calmodulin. eEF2 kinase can also be activated by PKA in response to elevated cAMP levels, which are generally increased in stress- or starvation-related conditions. A variety of treatments known to raise intracellular Ca2+ or cAMP levels have been shown to result in increased phosphorylation of eEF2, and thus to inhibit peptide-chain elongation. The inactive phosphorylated eEF2 can be converted to its active nonphosphorylated form by a protein phosphatase, most likely a form of protein phosphatase-2A. Insulin, which activates protein synthesis in a wide range of cell types, induces rapid dephosphorylation of eEF2 through mTOR signaling and may involve modulation of the activity of the PP-2A or the eEF2 kinase or both.
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