Cited by 145RNA and protein synthesis mechanismsPI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancerGenetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Translational Control in the Brain in Health and Disease

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Sossin, Wayne S., Costa-Mattioli, Mauro·2019·Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology

Abstract

Translational control in neurons is crucially required for long-lasting changes in synaptic function and memory storage. The importance of protein synthesis control to brain processes is underscored by the large number of neurological disorders in which translation rates are perturbed, such as autism and neurodegenerative disorders. Here we review the general principles of neuronal translation, focusing on the particular relevance of several key regulators of nervous system translation, including eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α), the mechanistic (or mammalian) target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), and the eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2). These pathways regulate the overall rate of protein synthesis in neurons and have selective effects on the translation of specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The importance of these general and specific translational control mechanisms is considered in the normal functioning of the nervous system, particularly during synaptic plasticity underlying memory, and in the context of neurological disorders.

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Crossref · 10.1101/cshperspect.a032912

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  • Under resting conditions, eEF2K phosphorylates eEF2 and slows ribosomal elongation, constraining dendritic translation.

    “Under resting conditions, eEF2K phosphorylates eEF2 and slows ribosomal elongation, constraining dendritic translation [141,142,144].”

    From Synaptic Plasticity—Intrinsic Excitability and Antidepressant Discovery (2026) · cites this paper as [142]

    The “Regulation of Elongation Through eEF2K” section says eEF2K phosphorylates eEF2 and that phosphorylation decreases elongation. It does not establish that this constrains dendritic translation under resting conditions; it also reports that removing eEF2K did not change the overall rate of protein synthesis in the brain. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • eEF2K acts as a molecular brake on protein synthesis.

    “Translational control is a central driver of rapid synaptic plasticity, with eEF2K acting as a molecular brake on protein synthesis [141,142,143].”

    From Synaptic Plasticity—Intrinsic Excitability and Antidepressant Discovery (2026) · cites this paper as [142]

    In “Regulation of Elongation through eEF2K” (page unavailable), the paper says eEF2K phosphorylates eEF2, which decreases translation elongation—supporting the ‘brake’ metaphor. But it qualifies the effect on protein synthesis: removing eEF2K did not change the overall rate of protein synthesis in the brain, so the unqualified claim is too broad. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Authors
Sossin, W. S., & Costa-Mattioli, M.
Affiliations
Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (CA)
Venue
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology
Published
2018-08-06
Volume
11
Issue
8
Pages
a032912
ISSN
1943-0264 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2887287746
Cited by
138
References
158
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancer
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Keywords
translational regulation, neuronal protein synthesis, eIF2α, mTORC1, elongation factor 2, synaptic plasticity, memory formation, autism spectrum disorder, neurodegenerative diseases, mRNA translation regulation, neurological disorders
MeSH terms
Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1, Animals, Brain, Dendrites, Humans, Memory, Neuronal Plasticity, Neurons, Phosphorylation, RNA, Messenger, Protein Biosynthesis, Signal Transduction, Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2, Peptide Elongation Factor 1, Mice, Neurodevelopmental Disorders

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