Potential role of tubulin tyrosine ligase-like enzymes in tumorigenesis and cancer cell resistance

Polyglutamylation of tubulin and other non-tubulin substrates is a reversible posttranslational modification brought about by tubulin tyrosine-like ligases. Altered polyglutamylation is linked to tumorigenesis and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs that target the microtubule, and therefore is a potential pharmacological target in cancer therapy. Despite the large amount of research focused on the development of anticancer agents, only a small number of well-characterized inhibitors of polyglutamylases have been identified, including the phosphinic acid-based inhibitors of Ttll7. In this minireview, we summarize the role of polyglutamylation in cancer, and draw attention to the largely unexplored area of polyglutamylase inhibition in the treatment of cancer.