Cellular translational enhancer elements that recruit eukaryotic initiation factor 3

Model of location-dependent translational enhancement by direct binding of eIF3 to 5′-UTR motifs. eIF3 binding to AMAYAA motifs may enhance translation initiation by multiple mechanisms depending on the location of the motif. (Top left) AMAYAA motif binding to eIF3 increases initial recruitment of 43S PIC. (Top right) AMAYAA motif upstream of initiation codons (AUG_i) increases their recognition during scanning. The presence of AMAYAA motifs increases ribosome loading during growth (left) and allows some mRNAs to maintain ribosome loading during starvation stress (right).