Translation initiation in eukaryotes necessitates the assembly of an 80S ribosomal complex containing methionyl initiator tRNA (Met-tRNAiMet), which is base paired at the initiation codon (AUG, GUG) in eligible transcripts (1,2). Eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) are utilized in a sequence of reactions that leads to 80S ribosomal assembly and initiation of translation (1-3). Eukaryotic initiation factor-3 (eIF3) is the largest family of eIFs and consists of at least 10 unique subunits (p170, p116, p110, p66, p48, p47, p44, p40, p36, and p35) in mammals (3,4). eIF3 subunit-9 (eIF3-h, eIF3-p116, p116, eIF3-S9, PRT1) is a 873 amino acid component of the eIF3 multi-subunit complex that is involved in ribosomal 48S complex formation (3,5). Association of the eIF3 complex with the 40S ribosomal subunit stabilizes eIF2-GTP-Met-tRNAiMet complex association and mRNA binding, and promotes dissociation of 80S ribosomes into 40S and 60S subunits (6,7).