Learning from Post-translational Modifications (PTMs) in infections to promote novel and Advanced Medicinal Therapies

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential biochemical processes that enable proteins to adapt dynamically to a wide range of intrinsic and extracellular signals. These modifications, such as methylation, glycosylation, ubiquitylation, palmitoylation, myristoylation, prenylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, hypusination, and epigenetic PTMs, are fundamental regulators of cellular homeostasis and responses to environmental change. In both parasites and bacteria, PTMs fine-tune the functional diversity of proteins, influencing numerous biological processes, including metabolism, differentiation, and host-pathogen interactions. Despite increasing evidence of their significance across microbes, comprehensive understanding of their mechanistic roles in pathogenesis remains limited.Recent studies have shed light on the importance of PTMs in parasites, revealing their association with cell growth, stress responses, stage transitions, gametogenesis, and translation elongation. In bacteria, PTMs such as acetylation and phosphorylation have been implicated in virulence regulation, antibiotic resistance, and adaptation to host environments. However, notable gaps persist in our knowledge of how PTMs orchestrate complex infection strategies across both microbial groups. Understanding PTMs from a One Health perspective—linking parasitic and bacterial systems—could provide transformative insights into infection biology and help identify new targets for therapeutic intervention.This Research Topic aims to elucidate the molecular and functional roles of post-translational modifications in the pathogenesis of parasitic and bacterial infections, paving the way for innovative therapeutic strategies. Specifically, it seeks to uncover how PTMs shape host-pathogen dynamics, contribute to virulence, and enable adaptive survival mechanisms. By exploring these modifications in an integrative context, this Research Topic aims to foster cross-kingdom insights that support the discovery of novel antimicrobial agents, immunotherapies, and translational medical applications.To gather further insights into the functional and mechanistic boundaries of this research, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Mechanisms and regulatory networks of PTMs in parasites and bacteria- Comparative PTM landscapes across parasitic and bacterial species- Role of PTMs in host-pathogen interactions and immune modulation- PTMs as potential therapeutic and diagnostic targets in infection biology- Technological and methodological advances for PTM characterization in microbes- Impact of PTMs on microbial virulence, adaptation, and antibiotic resistance- Drug discovery and design approaches targeting microbial PTMs Topic editors: Annette Elizabeth Kaiser, Philip Shaw Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/64561/learning-from-post-translational-modifications-ptms-in-infections-to-promote-novel-and-advanced-medicinal-therapies