Deciphering a global network of functionally associated post-translational modifications

Mol Syst Biol. 2012 Jul 17:8:599. doi: 10.1038/msb.2012.31.

Abstract

Various post-translational modifications (PTMs) fine-tune the functions of almost all eukaryotic proteins, and co-regulation of different types of PTMs has been shown within and between a number of proteins. Aiming at a more global view of the interplay between PTM types, we collected modifications for 13 frequent PTM types in 8 eukaryotes, compared their speed of evolution and developed a method for measuring PTM co-evolution within proteins based on the co-occurrence of sites across eukaryotes. As many sites are still to be discovered, this is a considerable underestimate, yet, assuming that most co-evolving PTMs are functionally associated, we found that PTM types are vastly interconnected, forming a global network that comprise in human alone >50,000 residues in about 6000 proteins. We predict substantial PTM type interplay in secreted and membrane-associated proteins and in the context of particular protein domains and short-linear motifs. The global network of co-evolving PTM types implies a complex and intertwined post-translational regulation landscape that is likely to regulate multiple functional states of many if not all eukaryotic proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Chickens
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Humans
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Mice
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational / physiology*
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • Rats
  • Systems Biology / methods

Substances

  • Proteins