Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A-III is aprotein that in humans is encoded by theEIF4A3gene.[5][6][7]
This gene encodes a member of theDEAD box protein family. DEAD box proteins, characterized by the conserved motifAsp-Glu-Ala-Asp (DEAD), are putativeRNA helicases. They are implicated in a number of cellular processes involving alteration ofRNA secondary structure, such astranslation initiation, nuclear and mitochondrialsplicing, andribosome andspliceosome assembly. Based on their distribution patterns, some members of this family are believed to be involved inembryogenesis,spermatogenesis, andcellular growth and division. The protein encoded by this gene is anuclear matrix protein. Its amino acid sequence is highly similar to the amino acid sequences of thetranslation initiation factorseIF4A-I andeIF4A-II, two other members of the DEAD box protein family.[7]