Journal of Precision Biosciences
Precision Biosciences | Online ISSN 3064-9226
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Volume 8 Number 1 2026
REVIEWS (Open Access)
Signal Transduction and Post-Translational Modifications as Central Regulators of Cellular Adaptation: A Review of Molecular Mechanisms and Disease Implications
Amena Khatun Manica 1*, Ramji Gupta 2
Journal of Precision Biosciences 8 (1) 1-8 https://doi.org/biosciences.8110633
Submitted: 29 September 2026 Revised: 02 January 2026 Accepted: 06 January 2026 Published: 08 January 2026
Abstract
Cells constantly encounter fluctuating environmental conditions, ranging from metabolic stress and oxidative damage to signaling cues from neighboring cells. To survive and adapt, they rely on sophisticated regulatory systems capable of rapidly sensing and translating these stimuli into coordinated biological responses. Among these systems, signal transduction pathways and post-translational modifications (PTMs) play particularly central roles. This review synthesizes current evidence describing how PTMs—especially phosphorylation and SUMOylation—function as dynamic molecular switches that regulate protein activity, localization, stability, and interaction networks. Rather than depending solely on transcriptional regulation, cells frequently employ PTMs to modify pre-existing proteins, enabling rapid and reversible responses to environmental change. Across the literature examined, PTM-dependent signaling emerges as a unifying mechanism linking extracellular stimuli to intracellular decision-making processes. In cancer biology, dysregulated kinase signaling and aberrant SUMOylation reshape transcriptional programs and promote tumor progression. In neurobiology, PTM-regulated protein quality control mechanisms help maintain proteostasis and limit the accumulation of toxic protein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Evidence from microbial systems further demonstrates that PTM-mediated signaling pathways regulate quorum sensing, virulence, and adaptive stress responses, highlighting the evolutionary conservation of these mechanisms. Collectively, the studies reviewed reveal that signal transduction and PTMs operate within integrated regulatory networks that coordinate gene expression, RNA processing, and metabolic control. Understanding these interconnected pathways provides important insights into cellular resilience, disease development, and emerging therapeutic opportunities targeting signaling-dependent molecular regulation.
Keywords: signal transduction, post-translational modifications, phosphorylation, SUMOylation, cellular adaptation, protein quality control, systems biology
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