AMPylation: key roles in biological regulation across prokaryotes and eukaryotes

AMPylation, as a crucial post-translational modification, is widely present in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, playing a key role in regulating biological functions. The regulation of biological functions by AMPylation is a complex and diverse process. In prokaryotes, AMPylation plays a role in processes such as self-metabolic regulation, gene expression control, and maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis. Eukaryotes utilize AMPylation to regulate endoplasmic reticulum stress, participate in disease progression, and modulate immune responses. During interactions between prokaryotes and eukaryotes, bacteria can influence host cytoskeletal function, anti-apoptotic processes, and vesicular transport through AMPylation, thereby enhancing their survival within the host. Currently, AMPylation has been applied in numerous directions, such as detecting modifications, constructing disease models, and studying protein functions. This article highlights the diverse roles of AMPylation in regulating biological functions and reviewed the application progress in various fields, aiming to provide theoretical foundations for understanding their mechanisms in pathogen control and eukaryotic disease prevention.