Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1 (eIF1) was first purified as a factor stimulating binding of Met-tRNA and mRNA to the ribosome (1,2). eIF1 is essential for growth in yeast and two classes of mutations in yeast eIF1 indicate a role for this protein in ensuring accurate translation initiation site selection (3). It has been demonstrated that eIF1 expression is stress-inducible, suggesting that modulation of translation initiation occurs during cellular stress (4).