A global view of the human post-translational modification landscape

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are crucial for cellular responses, metabolism, gene expression, and homeostasis.
• While well-studied PTMs like phosphorylation exist, most PTMs lack defined regulatory mechanisms and functional impact.
• Advances in mass spectrometry have expanded the known PTM landscape, with ongoing improvements promising further discoveries.

Approach:

• This review synthesizes current knowledge on PTM research, focusing on mechanisms of site specificity.
• It details analytical methods for PTM detection and study, including chemical tools for investigating PTM regulation.
• The review outlines strategies for discovering and validating novel PTMs.

Key Points:

• Understanding PTM regulation is essential for deciphering cellular signaling and fate.
• Mass spectrometry and chemical biology tools are vital for PTM analysis and discovery.
• Site specificity mechanisms and regulatory pathways remain key areas of investigation.

Conclusions:

• This review serves as a comprehensive resource for PTM biology, detailing known modifications, their regulation, and metabolic origins.
• It highlights the need for continued research into the vast majority of PTMs with undefined roles.
• The field is poised for significant growth in discovering and characterizing new PTMs and their functions.