HRI, active Human Recombinant Kinase Protein

HRI (Heme-Regulated eIF2α Kinase) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that is involved in the regulation of protein synthesis in response to changes in heme levels in the cell. HRI is activated in response to decreased heme levels, which can occur during conditions such as iron deficiency, and it phosphorylates the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α), resulting in a decrease in global protein synthesis and increased translation of mRNAs that contain upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in their 5' untranslated regions. Research has suggested that HRI may also play a role in the response to cellular stress, such as oxidative stress or viral infection. Additionally, HRI has been suggested as a potential therapeutic target in diseases such as sickle cell anemia, where the regulation of hemoglobin synthesis is disrupted, and in viral infections, where the kinase may be involved in the host response to infection.