Electron transfer in protein modifications: from detection to imaging

Signal pathways participate in vital biological processes and regulate complex life activities through protein modifications. Protein modifications in signal pathways are accompanied by electron transfer. The study of electronic behavior helps to explore the physical and chemical processes in signal pathways, receiving extensive attention. There are some excellent reviews that have summarized methods for signal pathway detection, while few discussions are from an electron transfer perspective. This review describes the relationship between signal pathways and electron transfer in protein modification. Subsequently, we summarize the electron transfer-based detection methods, such as electrochemical, photoelectrochemical and electrochemiluminescence methods. Additionally, the applications of signal pathway detection in mechanism study and imaging are also reviewed. Finally, a comprehensive discussion of the summary and outlooks in this field is presented, aiming to provide valuable guidance for the molecular mechanism of life processes and the development of new analytical techniques.