Rojas Bruno E, Iglesias Alberto A
Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral, UNL, CONICET, FBCB, Santa Fe, Argentina.
AoB Plants. 2023 Aug 2;15(4):plad053. doi: 10.1093/aobpla/plad053. eCollection 2023 Jul.
Data on protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) increased exponentially in the last years due to the refinement of mass spectrometry techniques and the development of databases to store and share datasets. Nevertheless, these data per se do not create comprehensive biochemical knowledge. Complementary studies on protein biochemistry are necessary to fully understand the function of these PTMs at the molecular level and beyond, for example, designing rational metabolic engineering strategies to improve crops. Phosphopyruvate carboxykinases (PEPCKs) are critical enzymes for plant metabolism with diverse roles in plant development and growth. Multiple lines of evidence showed the complex regulation of PEPCKs, including PTMs. Herein, we present PEPCKs as an example of the integration of combined mechanisms modulating enzyme activity and metabolic pathways. PEPCK studies strongly advanced after the production of the recombinant enzyme and the establishment of standardized biochemical assays. Finally, we discuss emerging open questions for future research and the challenges in integrating all available data into functional biochemical models.
近年来，由于质谱技术的改进以及用于存储和共享数据集的数据库的发展，蛋白质翻译后修饰（PTM）的数据呈指数级增长。然而，这些数据本身并不能创造全面的生化知识。对蛋白质生物化学进行补充研究对于在分子水平及更广泛层面充分理解这些PTM的功能是必要的，例如设计合理的代谢工程策略来改良作物。磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧激酶（PEPCK）是植物代谢中的关键酶，在植物发育和生长中具有多种作用。多条证据表明PEPCK受到复杂的调控，包括PTM。在此，我们以PEPCK为例，展示调节酶活性和代谢途径的多种机制的整合。在重组酶产生和标准化生化测定方法建立之后，PEPCK的研究取得了显著进展。最后，我们讨论了未来研究中出现的开放性问题以及将所有可用数据整合到功能性生化模型中的挑战。
