this gene encodes the α subtype, which was observed to associate with eif-2b, a guanine nucleotide exchange protein that functions in regulation of translation. a polymorphic variant of the α subtype, which lacks 3 glutamic acids from a glutamic acid repeat element, was identified to have decreased g protein-coupled receptor kinase-mediated phosphorylation and desensitization; this polymorphic form is also associated with reduced basal metabolic rate in obese subjects and may therefore contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity. this gene contains no introns in either its coding or untranslated sequences.