Palmitoylation of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is increased for familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked SOD1 mutants

Background: Mutations in SOD1 cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Results: SOD1 undergoes palmitoylation in the spinal cord and multiple cell types. Palmitoylation occurs predominantly on immature SOD1 and is increased for ALS-linked SOD1 mutants. Conclusion: Palmitoylation is a reversible post-translational modification of SOD1 cysteine residues. Significance: Palmitoylation could affect SOD1 toxicity by altering its folding, membrane targeting, and/or function.