Background: Eukaryotic initiation factor 2A (eIF2A) directs binding of the intiator methionyl-tRNA [Met-tRNA(i)] to 40 S ribosomal subunits in a codon dependent manner. It is a 65 kDa protein that was originally believed to be the functional homolog of prokaryotic IF2. eIF2A displays functional qualities similar to eIF2 which exists as complex of 3 subunits (eIF2-alpha, beta, and gamma), however comparison of eIF2A and eIF2 has shown that these two intitiation factors also display distinct functional abilities.