Enigma of Small Peptides Ubiquitin and SUMO in Plants

Post-translational covalent modifications by small molecules or peptides remodel target proteins. One such modification, made by ubiquitin or small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO), is a rapidly expanding field in cell signaling pathways. Ubiquitin attachment controls the turnover and degradation of target proteins while SUMO conjugation regulates their activity and function. Recent studies report many examples of cross-talk between ubiquitin and SUMO pathways, indicating that the boundary is no longer clear. Here, we review recent progress concerning how ubiquitin and SUMO participate in new regulatory roles in plant cell, and how ubiquitination and sumoylation control plant growth and development.