**Background of EIF2S1 Antibody**
EIF2S1 (Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 2 Subunit 1), also known as eIF2α, is a critical component of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2) complex, which regulates protein synthesis initiation. The eIF2 complex delivers methionyl-tRNA to ribosomes during the formation of the 43S preinitiation complex, a key step in mRNA translation. EIF2S1. the alpha subunit of eIF2. plays a pivotal role in cellular stress responses. Under stress conditions (e.g., nutrient deprivation, viral infection, or ER stress), kinases such as PERK, GCN2. PKR, or HRI phosphorylate EIF2S1 at Ser51. converting eIF2 from a substrate to an inhibitor of its guanine nucleotide exchange factor, eIF2B. This phosphorylation reduces global protein synthesis while selectively enhancing the translation of stress-responsive mRNAs, such as ATF4. to restore cellular homeostasis.
Antibodies targeting EIF2S1 are widely used to study translational regulation, stress signaling pathways (e.g., the integrated stress response), and diseases linked to dysregulated protein synthesis, including neurodegeneration, cancer, and metabolic disorders. These antibodies detect total EIF2S1 or its phosphorylated form (p-eIF2α), enabling insights into cellular stress status. They are essential tools in Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry, helping researchers explore mechanisms of gene expression control, therapeutic interventions, and biomarker discovery.