Developmental changes of eukaryotic initiation factor 2B subunits in rat hippocampus.

Regulated protein synthesis is critical for neural development, such as the formation of synapses and neural circuits and the modulation of synaptic plasticity. Protein synthesis is controlled by translation factors, including initiation, elongation and release factors. Here we investigated the developmental changes of eukaryotic initiation factor 2B (eIF2B) subunits in rat hippocampus. The eIF2B beta, gamma, delta and epsilon subunit protein levels were maximal at embryonic day 18 and then decreased during development. Aged hippocampus contained only trace amounts of these subunits. The finding that eIF2B subunit levels are high in developing hippocampus suggests that regulated protein synthesis is active in young, highly plastic brain.