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Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Assessment of Selective mRNA Translation in Mammalian Cells by Polysome Profiling
Published on: October 28, 2014
Translation initiation and its deregulation during tumorigenesis
1Cancer Research UK Molecular Oncology Laboratory, University of Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK.
Abstract:
Regulation of protein synthesis at the level of translation initiation is fundamentally important for the control of cell proliferation under normal physiological conditions. Conversely, misregulation of protein synthesis is emerging as a major contributory factor in cancer development. Most bulk protein synthesis is initiated via recognition of the mRNA 5' cap and subsequent recognition of the initiator AUG codon by a directional scanning mechanism. However, several key regulators of tumour development are translated by a cap-independent pathway. Here we review eukaryotic translation initiation, its regulation and the ways in which this regulation can break down during tumorigenesis.
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