Interaction between the keratin cytoskeleton and eEF1Bγ affects protein synthesis in epithelial cells

Eukaryotic elongation factor-1 (eEF1) is essential for peptidechain elongation during translation. We report that its c subunit (eEF1B gamma) specifically binds, and bundles, keratin intermediate filaments. Disrupting this interaction depresses translation by similar to 20% and selectively increases 80S ribosomes in epithelial cells, an outcome recapitulated by RNA interference-mediated silencing of eEF1B gamma. These findings extend the emerging relationship between keratin proteins and the translational machinery.