Lysine crotonylation is an understudied yet very interesting post-translational modification which has great medical potential, a group from Utrecht University reports in ChemBioChem.

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential parts of the biochemistry of (human) cells, with functions like folding, stability, and interaction with other cell components. One type of PTMs are the lysine short chain acylations (SCA), which at presentare among the most studied. However, one recently discovered SCA has been very much underexplored, according to Marinda Westerveld, Rita Petracca and colleagues from Utrecht University: lysine crotonylation (Kcr). In a review, they highlight ‘Kcr’s potential and identif[y] gaps needing further investigation’.