Internal Ribosome Entry Site

An Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) is a stretch of nucleotide sequences found within a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule that are responsible for allowing a ribosome to enter and start translation of the mRNA molecule. IRESs are essential for the production of proteins that are involved in cell development, cell differentiation, and the regulation of many cellular processes. They have been demonstrated to play a role in diseases such as cancer, and have been exploited in various fields, including gene therapy, drug delivery and molecular diagnostics.