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HEREDITAS(Beijing) ›› 2015, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (7): 621-634.doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.15-003

• Reviews • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Post-translational modification (PTM) bioinformatics in China: progresses and perspectives

Zexian Liu1, Yudong Cai2, Xuejiang Guo3, Ao Li4, Tingting Li5, Jianding Qiu6, Jian Ren7, Shaoping Shi8, Jiangning Song9, Minghui Wang4, Lu Xie10, Yu Xue1, Ziding Zhang11, Xingming Zhao12   

  1. 1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China;
    2. Institute of Systems Biology, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China;
    3. State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China;
    4. School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 232207, China;
    5. Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China;
    6. Department of Chemistry, School of chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China;
    7. State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China;
    8. Department of Mathematics, College of Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China;
    9. National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Enzymes and Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China;
    10. Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai Academy of Science and Technology, Shanghai 201203, China;
    11. State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural Universty, Beijing 100193, China;
    12. Department of Computer Science, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
  • Received:2014-12-31 Revised:2015-02-05 Online:2015-07-20 Published:2015-07-20

Abstract: Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential for regulating conformational changes, activities and functions of proteins, and are involved in almost all cellular pathways and processes. Identification of protein PTMs is the basis for understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms. In contrast with labor-intensive and time-consuming experiments, the PTM prediction using various bioinformatics approaches can provide accurate, convenient, and efficient strategies and generate valuable information for further experimental consideration. In this review, we summarize the current progresses made by Chineses bioinformaticians in the field of PTM Bioinformatics, including the design and improvement of computational algorithms for predicting PTM substrates and sites, design and maintenance of online and offline tools, establishment of PTM-related databases and resources, and bioinformatics analysis of PTM proteomics data. Through comparing similar studies in China and other countries, we demonstrate both advantages and limitations of current PTM bioinformatics as well as perspectives for future studies in China.

Key words: post-translational modification, covalent modification, PTM proteomics, phosphorylation