Protein N-terminal acetylation is entering the degradation end game

Despite being one of the most common protein modifications in eukaryotes, the cellular effect of N-terminal acetylation remains cryptic. Four decades ago, the nature of the N terminus was linked to protein stability. In this Comment, we discuss an emerging major role of N-terminal acetylation in shielding the proteome from degradation. Thomas Arnesen and colleagues discuss an emerging major role of one of the most common protein modifications, N-terminal acetylation, in shielding the proteome from degradation.