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Advances in the role of protein post-translational modifications in circadian rhythm regulation

ZHAO Zi-Di¹, HU Qi-Miao¹, YANG Zi-Yi², SUN Peng-Cheng¹, JING Bo-Wen³, MAN Rong-Xi¹, XU Yuan⁴, YAN Ru-Yu⁵, QU Si-Yao⁶, PEI Jian-Fei^6,*

¹The Second Clinical College, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China；²School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China；³College of Basic Medical School, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China；⁴The Fourth Clinical College, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China；⁵The Queen's University of Belfast Joint College, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China；⁶College of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China

Abstract

The circadian clock plays a critical role in regulating various physiological processes, including gene expression, metabolic regulation, immune response, and the sleep-wake cycle in living organisms. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are crucial regulatory mechanisms to maintain the precise oscillation of the circadian clock. By modulating the stability, activity, cell localization and protein-protein interactions of core clock proteins, PTMs enable these proteins to respond dynamically to environmental and intracellular changes, thereby sustaining the periodic oscillations of the circadian clock. Different types of PTMs exert their effects through distincting molecular mechanisms, collectively ensuring the proper function of the circadian system. This review systematically summarized several major types of PTMs, including phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation and oxidative modification, and overviewed their roles in regulating the core clock proteins and the associated pathways, with the goals of providing a theoretical foundation for the deeper understanding of clock mechanisms and the treatment of diseases associated with circadian disruption.

Key words: post-translational modifications; circadian clock; core clock protein

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 裴建飞　　E-mail:

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2024.0092

Citing This Article：

ZHAO Zi-Di, HU Qi-Miao, YANG Zi-Yi, SUN Peng-Cheng, JING Bo-Wen, MAN Rong-Xi, XU Yuan, YAN Ru-Yu, QU Si-Yao, PEI Jian-Fei. Advances in the role of protein post-translational modifications in circadian rhythm regulation. Acta Physiol Sin 2025; 77 (4): 605-626 (in Chinese with English abstract).