EIF4E-T is the transporter protein for shuttling the mRNA cap-binding protein EIF4E protein, targeting it for nuclear import. EIF4E-T contains several key binding domains including two functional leucine-rich NESs (nuclear export signals) between residues 438-447 and 613-638 in the human protein. The other two binding domains are an EIF4E-binding site, between residues 27-42 in Q9EST3, and a bipartite NLS (nuclear localisation signals) between 194-211, and these lie in family EIF4E-T_N. EIF4E is the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E that is the rate-limiting factor for cap-dependent translation initiation [1].

1: A novel shuttling protein, 4E-T, mediates the nuclear import of the mRNA 5' cap-binding protein, eIF4E. Dostie J, Ferraiuolo M, Pause A, Adam SA, Sonenberg N; EMBO J. 2000;19:3142-3156. PMID:10856257