N-terminal protein acetylation: Global regulator of plant stress responses and protein stability

The composition of cellular proteomes rapidly adjusts in response to internal and external stimuli. Protein modifications add yet another layer of plasticity to this intricately balanced and dynamic system. In humans, N-terminal acetylation (NTA) is a pervasive and essential protein modification catalyzed by seven N^α-acetyltransferases (Nat) in a co-translational or post-translational manner. In this talk, I will summarize our efforts to characterize the plant Nat machinery and its relevance for coordinating growth and development upon diverse environmental challenges. Our findings uncovered that NTA is a phytohormone-controlled mechanism determining global proteome stability, which is particularly critical for the drought stress response of plants.