Protein post-translational modification by lysine succinylation: Biochemistry, biological implications, and therapeutic opportunities

Lysine succinylation (Ksuc) is a novel protein post-translational modification (PTM) wherein a succinyl group modifies a lysine residue. Ksuc leads to significant chemical and struc-tural changes to the modified protein. Recent studies have shown that Ksuc might play an important role in organism physiology and some pathophysiological processes, such as tumor-igenesis and metabolic diseases. To provide an understanding of the molecular mechanism and functions of Ksuc in different organisms, we reviewed the current literature about Ksuc, mainly summarizing the research advances in eukaryotes and prokaryotes based on both traditional study methods and site prediction tools. We also discussed inhibitors or activators associated with Ksuc that may contribute to proteomic studies and could be useful in future clinical prac-tice. A deeper understanding of Ksuc may shed new light on life science at the protein level and could lead to novel therapeutic strategies for various diseases.& COPY; 2022 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

Lysine succinylation (Ksuc) is a novel protein post-translational modification that has significant impacts on protein structure and function. Recent studies have highlighted its importance in physiological processes and diseases such as tumorigenesis and metabolic diseases. This review provides an overview of the current research on Ksuc in eukaryotes and prokaryotes and discusses the potential applications of inhibitors or activators associated with Ksuc in proteomic studies and clinical practice. A deeper understanding of Ksuc could have profound implications for life science and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.