Elongation factors are a set of proteins that facilitate the events of translational

Translation (genetics)

In molecular biology and genetics, translation is the third stage of protein biosynthesis . In translation, messenger RNA produced by transcription is decoded by the ribosome to produce a specific amino acid chain, or polypeptide, that will later fold into an active protein...

 elongation, the steps in protein synthesis from the formation of the first peptide bond

Peptide bond

This article is about the peptide link found within biological molecules, such as proteins. A similar article for synthetic molecules is being created...

 to the formation of the last one.

Elongation is the most rapid step in translation:

• in prokaryotes it proceeds at a rate of 15 to 20 amino acids added per second (about 60 nucleotides per second)
• in eukaryotes the rate is about two amino acids per second.

Elongation factors play a role in orchestrating the events of this process, and in ensuring the 99.99% accuracy of translation at this speed.

See also

• Prokaryotic elongation factors
  Prokaryotic elongation factors
  In prokaryotes, three elongation factors are required for translation: EF-Tu, EF-Ts, and EF-G.*EF-Tu mediates the entry of the aminoacyl tRNA into a free site of the ribosome....
  
  
• Archaeal elongation factors
• Eukaryotic elongation factors
  Eukaryotic elongation factors
  Eukaryotic elongation factors are very similar to those in prokaryotes.Elongation in eukaryotes is carried out with two elongation factors: eEF-1 and eEF-2....
  
  
• GTP-binding elongation factor family, EF-Tu/EF-1A subfamily
  GTP-binding elongation factor family, EF-Tu/EF-1A subfamily
  In molecular biology, the GTP-binding elongation factor family, EF-Tu/EF-1A subfamily is a family of elongation factors, which includes the eukaryotic eEF-1 and the prokaryotic EF-Tu....
  
  

Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Corynebacterium diphtheriae is a pathogenic bacterium that causes diphtheria. It is also known as the Klebs-Löffler bacillus, because it was discovered in 1884 by German bacteriologists Edwin Klebs and Friedrich Löffler .-Classification:Four subspecies are recognized: C. diphtheriae mitis, C....

 produces a toxin

Diphtheria toxin

Diphtheria toxin is an exotoxin secreted by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, the pathogen bacterium that causes diphtheria. Unusually, the toxin gene is encoded by a bacteriophage...

 that alters protein function in the host by inactivating elongation factor (EF-2). This causes pharyngitis and 'pseudomembrane' in the throat.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common bacterium that can cause disease in animals, including humans. It is found in soil, water, skin flora, and most man-made environments throughout the world. It thrives not only in normal atmospheres, but also in hypoxic atmospheres, and has, thus, colonized many...

's exotoxin A also inhibits EF-2.