Post-translational modifications in proteins: resources, tools and prediction methods

Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) refer to amino acid side chain modification in some proteins after their biosynthesis. There are more than 400 different types of PTMs affecting many aspects of protein functions. Such modifications happen as crucial molecular regulatory mechanisms to regulate diverse cellular processes. These processes have a significant impact on the structure and function of proteins. Disruption in PTMs can lead to the dysfunction of vital biological processes and hence to various diseases. High-throughput experimental methods for discovery of PTMs are very laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, there is an urgent need for computational methods and powerful tools to predict PTMs. There are vast amounts of PTMs data, which are publicly accessible through many online databases. In this survey, we comprehensively reviewed the major online databases and related tools. The current challenges of computational methods were reviewed in detail as well.

Automated summary

Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) involve modifications to amino acid side chains in proteins after biosynthesis, affecting various aspects of protein functions. Disruptions in PTMs can lead to diseases, emphasizing the need for computational methods to predict PTMs. High-throughput experimental methods for PTM discovery are laborious, prompting the exploration of computational tools and databases to advance research in this area.