Abstract SUMO(small ubiquitin-related modifier) is an important member of the small ubiquitin-like protein (Ubl) family, which functions in diverse cellular processes by becoming covalently attached to other proteins. SUMO proteins are structurally and mechanistically related to ubiquitin. However, unlike ubiquitylation which primarily targets a substrate for degradation, sumoylation participates in a number of biological processes, including transcriptional regulation, nuclear transport, maintenance of genome integrity, and signal transduction, as an important post-translational modification. Dysregulation of sumoylation has been associated with a number of diseases.
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