(1) Two Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cDNA clones, NeIF-5A1 and NeIF-5A2, encoding eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF-5A (formerly called eIF-4D) were cloned by heterologous screening with Dictyostelium and human eIF-5A probes.
(2) NeIF-5A1 antiserum crossreacts with an 18 kDa polypeptide doublet in all tobacco tissues examined.
(3) 18 kDa from a diversity of higher and lower plants crossreacts with NeIF-5A1 antiserum.
(4) Transcript analysis reveals that NeIF-5A1 is preferentially expressed in photosynthetic tissues, while NeIF-5A2 is constitutively expressed in all plant tissues examined.
(5) A polyclonal antibody was raised against NeIF-5A1 overexpressed in E. coli.