Cardiac function and disease: emerging role of small ubiquitin-related modifier.

Small ubiquitin-related modifiers, or SUMOs, have emerged as versatile regulators of many biological functions that do so by covalent attachment to a variety of substrates via enzymatic reactions. SUMO conjugation has also been shown to be involved in a number of human pathogenic processes. More recent advances in the SUMO field have indicated a potential role for SUMO conjugation pathway in cardiogenesis. This advanced review will describe the basic features of the SUMO conjugation pathway and will summarize the most recent studies implicating the influence of the sumoylation pathway in cardiac function under both physiological and pathological conditions. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2011 3 446-457 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.130