O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a widespread reversible modification on nucleocytoplasmic proteins that plays an important role in many biochemical processes and is highly relevant to numerous human diseases. The O-GlcNAc modification has diverse functional impacts on individual proteins and glycosites, and methods for editing this modification on substrates are essential to decipher these functions. Herein, we review recent progress in developing methods for O-GlcNAc regulation, with a focus on methods for editing O-GlcNAc with protein- and site-selectivity in cells. The applications, advantages, and limitations of currently available strategies for writing and erasing O-GlcNAc and future directions are also discussed. These emerging approaches to manipulate O-GlcNAc on a target protein in cells will greatly accelerate the development of functional studies and enable therapeutic interventions in the O-GlcNAc field.
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December 2021
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Fuelled by the ‘resolution revolution’, cryo-EM has transformed our molecular understanding of transcriptional regulation in bacteria. As an example, Wood and colleagues (pp. 2695–2710) present the sialic acid gene repressor NanR (PDB-6WFG), where cryo-EM revealed the DNA-binding mode. “E. coli Bacteria” by NIAID is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cover artwork courtesy of Christopher Horne.
Review Article|
November 16 2021
Writing and erasing O-GlcNAc from target proteins in cells
Yun Ge;
Yun Ge
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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Christina M. Woo
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Correspondence: Christina M. Woo (cwoo@chemistry.harvard.edu)
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
September 17 2021
Revision Received:
October 25 2021
Accepted:
October 27 2021
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2021
Biochem Soc Trans (2021) 49 (6): 2891–2901.
Article history
Received:
September 17 2021
Revision Received:
October 25 2021
Accepted:
October 27 2021
Citation
Yun Ge, Christina M. Woo; Writing and erasing O-GlcNAc from target proteins in cells. Biochem Soc Trans 17 December 2021; 49 (6): 2891–2901. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20210865
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