Acetilációs

Acetilációs, also known as acetylation, is a chemical reaction in which an acetyl group is transferred from one molecule to another. The acetyl group is a functional group with the structure CH3CO–. This process is a type of acylation. In biological systems, acetylation is a crucial post-translational modification of proteins. It commonly occurs on lysine residues, where an acetyl group is added to the epsilon-amino group of the side chain. This modification can alter protein function, stability, and interactions with other molecules. For example, histone acetylation, a key process in epigenetics, plays a significant role in regulating gene expression by affecting the accessibility of DNA to transcription machinery. Acetylation can also occur on serine, threonine, and cysteine residues. In organic chemistry, acetylation is often used to protect functional groups or to synthesize new compounds. Common acetylating agents include acetic anhydride and acetyl chloride. The reverse reaction, deacetylation, is catalyzed by enzymes called deacetylases. Both acetylation and deacetylation are dynamic processes essential for many cellular functions, including metabolism, signal transduction, and DNA repair.