The molecular basis of mTORC1-regulated translation

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is a master regulator of cell growth throughout eukaryotes. The pathway senses nutrient and other growth signals, and then orchestrates the complex systems of anabolic and catabolic metabolism that underpin the growth process. A central target of mTOR signaling is the translation machinery. mTOR uses a multitude of translation factors to drive the bulk production of protein that growth requires, but also to direct a post-transcriptional program of growth-specific gene expression. This review will discuss current understanding of how mTOR controls these mechanisms and their functions in growth control.