Spray-type modifications: an emerging paradigm in post-translational modifications

Trends Biochem Sci. 2024 Feb 28:S0968-0004(24)00023-9. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.01.008. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTA post-translational modification (PTM) occurs when a nucleophilic residue (e.g., lysine of a target protein) attacks electrophilic substrate molecules (e.g., acyl-AMP), involving writer enzymes or even occurring spontaneously. Traditionally, this phenomenon was thought to be sequence specific; however, recent research suggests that PTMs can also occur in a non-sequence-specific manner confined to a specific location in a cell. In this Opinion, we compile the accumulated evidence of spray-type PTMs and propose a mechanism for this phenomenon based on the exposure level of reactive electrophilic substrate molecules at the active site of the PTM writers. Overall, a spray-type PTM conceptual framework is useful for comprehending the promiscuous PTM writer events that cannot be adequately explained by the traditional concept of sequence-dependent PTM events.PMID:38443288 | DOI:10.1016/j.tibs.2024.01.008

Source: Trends in Biochemical Sciences - March 5, 2024 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Yun-Bin Lee Hyun-Woo Rhee Source Type: research