Protein N-Terminal Modification: Recent Advances in Chemical and Enzymatic Strategies

Site-specific modification of protein termini, particularly the N-terminus, has emerged as a cornerstone of chemical biology and biotechnology, facilitating the engineering of therapeutic proteins and functional biomaterials. The N-terminus, with its solvent-exposed α-amino group and minimal disruption to protein folding, provides an ideal platform for the introduction of diverse functional groups into proteins. This review offers a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in chemical and enzymatic strategies for protein N-terminal modification and discusses the advantages, limitations, and applications of these approaches. These advances highlight the transformative potential of protein N-terminal modification in advancing medical therapeutics and biotechnology innovations. Future efforts are poised to integrate artificial intelligence with bioorthogonal chemistry to further expand the toolbox and explore new applications in basic research and drug development.