RNA Helicases and Their Cofactors

RNA helicases are proteins that function by melting RNA secondary structures or remodeling ribonucleoprotein complexes. Canonical RNA helicase eIF4A plays an essential role in translation initiation by resolving secondary structures in the 5′ UTR of mRNAs and preparing the mRNA template for ribosome recruitment. Interestingly, the majority of mRNAs that encode proteins responsible for cell survival, proliferation, cell cycle transitions and angiogenesis contain 5′ UTRs with significant secondary/tertiary structures, and thus, appear to be more dependent on the RNA helicase activity of eIF4A. In addition, several other RNA helicases have been implicated in other steps of translation initiation, as well as in exerting mRNA-specific regulation. In this chapter, we discuss the RNA helicases implicated in translational control, as well as their role in cancer biology and their potential as diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic targets.