The Protein Lipidation and Its Analysis

Abstract

Protein Lipidation is essential not only for membrane binding but also for the interaction with effectors and the regulation of signaling processes, thereby playing a key role in controlling protein localization and function. Cholesterylation, the attachment of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor, as well as N-myristoylation, S-prenylation and S-acylation are among the most relevant protein lipidation processes. Little is still known about the significance of the high diversity in lipid modifications as well as the mechanism by which lipidation controls function and activity of the proteins. Although the development of new strategies to uncover these and other unexplored topics is in great demand, important advances have already been achieved during the last years in the analysis of protein lipidation. This review will highlight the most prominent lipid modifications encountered in proteins and will provide an overview of the existing methods for the analysis and identification of lipid modified proteins.