What is Known About N-Alpha Terminal Acetylation in Kinetoplastida Organisms

Nα-terminal acetylation (Nt-acetylation) is a conserved post-translational modification that plays an important role in stabilizing, localizing, and performing protein functions in general. Among kinetoplastid parasites such as species of Trypanosoma and Leishmania however, little work has been done to understand the role that this type of modification plays despite possessing an Nα-terminal acetylation machinery with unique N-terminal acetyltransferases. Particularly, since Nt-acetylation is important in stabilizing several key proteins that participate in various cellular processes, Nt-acetylation could be influencing parasite biology such as host-parasite interactions, establishment of different ecological niches, and general pathogenicity. The diverse roles that Nt-acetylation could be playing within kinetoplastids, given their complex life cycles and interactions with hosts, could be important. It is possible that the acetylation machinery, because of such kintoplastid-specific adaptations, represents an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. The unique aspects of Nt-acetylation in kinetoplastids can allow for further understanding of their biology along with innovative approaches for the treatment of pathogenic protozoans. Future studies should address the substrates, functional relevance, and druggability of Nt-acetylation in kinetoplastids to fill knowledge gaps, while also paving the path towards target-oriented drug development.