Demonstration of translation elongation factor 3 activity from a non-fungal species, Phytophthora infestans.

In most eukaryotic organisms, translation elongation requires two highly conserved elongation factors eEF1A and eEF2. Fungal systems are unique in requiring a third factor, the eukaryotic Elongation Factor 3 (eEF3). For decades, eEF3, a ribosome-dependent ATPase, was considered "fungal-specific", however, recent bioinformatics analysis indicates it may be more widely distributed among other unicellular eukaryotes.