Regulation of the Subcellular Compartmentalization of Signaling Pathways by Post-Translational Modifications
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2025 | Viewed by 37
Special Issue Editor
Interests: compartmentalization of signaling cascades; modulation of signaling cascades by intracellular pathogens
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Understanding the Regulation of Signaling Pathways through Post-Translational Modifications (PTMs): An Invitation to Explore New Frontiers.
Signaling pathways represent intricate cellular communication networks that orchestrate critical biological processes which are essential for life. These pathways empower cells to detect environmental changes, modulate their internal machinery to respond appropriately, govern cell proliferation, manage stress responses, and maintain homeostasis. A key feature of these pathways lies in their spatial organization, specific signaling components must localize to precise subcellular compartments such as the plasma membrane, cytosol, nucleus, and organelles. This compartmentalization ensures signal fidelity and prevents aberrant cross-talk between overlapping pathways.
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) serve as pivotal regulatory mechanisms in signaling pathways, profoundly altering protein function, localization, and interactions. PTMs include diverse chemical alterations that occur after protein synthesis, each contributing to the modulation of signaling networks in unique ways.
PTM like phosphorylation, ubiquitination, acetylation, acylation, methylation, sumoylation, glycosylation, and others act as dynamic molecular switches, precisely controlling spatial and temporal signaling events. The dysregulation of these modifications can profoundly impact cellular function, potentially leading to pathological conditions such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune disorders, and metabolic syndromes.
Current advancements in experimental techniques such as high-resolution mass spectrometry, CRISPR-Cas systems for targeted gene editing, single-molecule imaging, and computational modeling have enabled unprecedented insights into PTM-mediated signaling regulation. However, many questions remain unanswered regarding the interplay, crosstalk, and hierarchical organization of PTMs within signaling networks.
Call for Research Papers and Reviews: We invite submissions addressing the role of PTMs in signaling pathway regulation, with particular emphasis on the following:
- Mechanistic studies elucidating novel PTMs and their downstream effects.
- High-throughput techniques for PTM identification and quantification.
- Computational approaches modeling PTM dynamics in cellular contexts.
- Insights into PTM-targeted therapeutic interventions.
By exploring the molecular intricacies of PTMs and their impact on cellular signaling, researchers can uncover critical knowledge to advance biomedical science and therapeutic development. Together, let us decode the language of PTMs and unlock their potential in shaping the future of precision medicine.
Dr. Jürgen Fritsch
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- phosphorylation
- ubiquitination
- acetylation
- acylation
- methylation
- sumoylation
- glycosylation
- neddylation
- ribosylation
- oxidation
- proteolysis
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