The role of eIF2a phosphorylation under oxidative stress. Mus musculus

To gain insight into layers of gene expression in response to oxidative stress, we obtained transcriptomic profiles by RNA sequencing. Immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) were used that carried either wildtype eIF2α (WT) or a point mutant in which the inhibitory Ser 51 phosphorylation site was replaced by alanine (eIF2αS51A) thus rendering eIF2α insensitive to kinase-mediated inhibition and translational shutdown in response to stress (Randy Kaufman paper, McEwen 2005). To monitor acute and prolonged responses to oxidative stress, cells were exposed for either 15 or 120 minutes to 500 mM H2O2, and triplicate RNA samples were obtained for sequencing.