Palmitoylation

Palmitoylation is a post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins that is catalyzed by enzymes known as palmitoyltransferases. It involves the covalent attachment of a molecule of the fatty acid, palmitic acid, to the hydroxyl group of cysteine side-chains on proteins. This PTM is involved in many cellular processes such as protein trafficking, membrane localization and protein stability. It has been linked to many diseases including Alzheimer’s, autism and cancer. Palmitoylation has been used to study protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions and to identify new drug targets. It is a powerful tool for researchers to better understand the function of proteins and help design treatments for diseases associated with aberrant palmitoylation.