The DEAD-box RNA helicase eIF4A regulates plant development and interacts with the hnRNP LIF2L1 in Physcomitrella patens.

eIF4A is a RNA-stimulated ATPase and helicase. Besides its key role in regulating cap-dependent translation initiation in eukaryotes, it also performs specific functions in regulating cell cycle progression, plant growth and abiotic stress tolerance. Flowering plants encode three eIF4A paralogues, eIF4A1, eIF4A2 and eIF4A3 that share conserved sequence motifs but differ in functions.