Translation elongation factor-1A1 (eEF1A1) localizes to the spine by domain III

In vertebrates, there are two variants of eukaryotic peptideelongation factor 1A (eEF1A; formerly eEF-1α), eEF1A1 andeEF1A2, which have three well-conserved domains (DI, DII,and DIII). In neurons, eEF1A1 is the embryonic type, which isexpressed during embryonic development as well as the firsttwo postnatal weeks. In the present study, EGFP-tagged eEF1A1truncates were expressed in cortical neurons isolated from ratembryo (E18-19). Live cell images of transfected neurons showedthat DIII-containing EGFP-fusion proteins (EGFP-DIII, -DII-III,-DI-III) formed clusters that were confined within somatodendriticdomains, while DIII-missing ones (EGFP-DI, -DII, -DI-II) andcontrol EGFP were homogeneously dispersed throughout theneuron including axons. In dendrites, EGFP-DIII was targeted tothe heads of spine- and filopodia-like protrusions, where it wascolocalized with SynGAPα, a postsynaptic marker. Our dataindicate that DIII of eEF1A1 mediates formation of clusters andlocalization to spines. [BMB reports 2012; 45(4): 227-232