ML-323 is primarily used as a selective inhibitor of the SUMO-activating enzyme (SAE), making it a valuable tool in studying the SUMOylation pathway. This pathway plays a critical role in regulating protein function, stability, and cellular localization, particularly in processes like DNA repair, cell cycle progression, and stress response. By inhibiting SAE, ML-323 disrupts SUMOylation, allowing researchers to investigate the functional consequences of this post-translational modification in various cellular contexts. It has been applied in cancer research to explore vulnerabilities in tumor cells, especially those with defects in DNA damage repair mechanisms. Studies suggest that ML-323 can sensitize certain cancer cells to chemotherapy and radiation, highlighting its potential as a candidate for combination therapies. Additionally, it is used in virology to examine how viral replication depends on host SUMOylation machinery. Due to its specificity and cell permeability, ML-323 is widely used in biochemical assays and cellular models to modulate SUMOylation reversibly, supporting target validation and mechanistic studies in both basic and translational research.