Protein acetylation in the critical biological processes in protozoan parasites

• Published in: Trends in parasitology Vol. 37; no. 9; pp. 815 - 830
• Main Authors: Maran, Suellen Rodrigues, Fleck, Krista, Monteiro-Teles, Natália Melquie, Isebe, Tony, Walrad, Pegine, Jeffers, Victoria, Cestari, Igor, Vasconcelos, Elton J.R., Moretti, Nilmar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2021
• Subjects: acetylation; acetylome; bromodomain; glycolysis; KATs; KDACs; acetylation; KDACs; bromodomain; acetylome; KATs; glycolysis
• ISSN: 1471-4922; 1471-5007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.04.008

Protein lysine acetylation has emerged as a major regulatory post-translational modification in different organisms, present not only on histone proteins affecting chromatin structure and gene expression but also on nonhistone proteins involved in several cellular processes. The same scenario was observed in protozoan parasites after the description of their acetylomes, indicating that acetylation might regulate crucial biological processes in these parasites. The demonstration that glycolytic enzymes are regulated by acetylation in protozoans shows that this modification might regulate several other processes implicated in parasite survival and adaptation during the life cycle, opening the chance to explore the regulatory acetylation machinery of these parasites as drug targets for new treatment development. Protein acetylation has emerged as a new regulatory post-translational modification in protozoan parasites.Chromatin structure and gene expression are regulated by acetylation directly, impacting how protozoan parasites adapt during their life cycle.Acetylation is present on hundreds of nonhistone proteins from different cellular compartments, which are involved in several biological processes in protozoan parasites.Lysine acetylation is a new player in the regulation of glycolytic enzymes in Trypanosoma brucei.The regulatory machinery of protein acetylation is present in protozoan parasites and can be explored for drug development.