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The human pituitary nitroproteome: detection of nitrotyrosyl-proteins with two-dimensional Western blotting, and amino acid sequence determination with mass spectrometry.

Nitric oxide is an important mediator that participates in reduction-oxidation (redox) mechanisms and in cellular signal transduction pathways. Two types of post-translational modifications are induced by nitric oxide: S-nitrosylation of cysteine residues and nitration of tyrosine residues. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis-based Western blotting was used to detect, and liquid chromatography (LC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to determine the amino acid sequence of, several different nitrated proteins in the human pituitary. Proteins from several 2D gel spots, which corresponded to the strongly positive anti-nitrotyrosine Western blot spots, were subjected to in-gel trypsin-digestion and LC-MS/MS analysis. MS/MS, SEQUEST analysis, and de novo sequencing were used to determine the nitration site of each nitrated peptide. A total of four different nitrated peptides were characterized and were matched to four different proteins: synaptosomal-associated protein, actin, immunoglobulin alpha Fc receptor, and cGMP-dependent protein kinase 2. Those nitrotyrosyl-proteins participate in neurotransmission, cellular immunity, and cellular structure and mobility.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Nuclear heat shock response and novel nuclear domain 10 reorganization in respiratory syncytial virus-infected a549 cells identified by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

The pneumovirus respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of epidemic respiratory tract infection. Upon entry, RSV replicates in the epithelial cytoplasm, initiating compensatory changes in cellular gene expression. In this study, we have investigated RSV-induced changes in the nuclear proteome of A549 alveolar type II-like epithelial cells by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE). Replicate 2D gels from uninfected and RSV-infected nuclei were compared for changes in protein expression. We identified 24 different proteins by peptide mass fingerprinting after matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MS), whose average normalized spot intensity was statistically significant and differed by +/-2-fold. Notable among the proteins identified were the cytoskeletal cytokeratins, RNA helicases, oxidant-antioxidant enzymes, the TAR DNA binding protein (a protein that associates with nuclear domain 10 [ND10] structures), and heat shock protein 70- and 60-kDa isoforms (Hsp70 and Hsp60, respectively). The identification of Hsp70 was also validated by liquid chromatography quadropole-TOF tandem MS (LC-MS/MS). Separate experiments using immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that RSV induced cytoplasmic Hsp70 aggregation and nuclear accumulation. Data mining of a genomic database showed that RSV replication induced coordinate changes in Hsp family proteins, including the 70, 70-2, 90, 40, and 40-3 isoforms. Because the TAR DNA binding protein associates with ND10s, we examined the effect of RSV infection on ND10 organization. RSV induced a striking dissolution of ND10 structures with redistribution of the component promyelocytic leukemia (PML) and speckled 100-kDa (Sp100) proteins into the cytoplasm, as well as inducing their synthesis. Our findings suggest that cytoplasmic RSV replication induces a nuclear heat shock response, causes ND10 disruption, and redistributes PML and Sp100 to the cytoplasm. Thus, a high-resolution proteomics approach, combined with immunofluorescence localization and coupled with genomic response data, yielded unexpected novel insights into compensatory nuclear responses to RSV infection.

Cell Nucleus↗

Identification and verification of novel rodent postsynaptic density proteins.

The postsynaptic density (PSD) is a cellular structure specialized in receiving and transducing synaptic information. Here we describe the identification of 452 proteins isolated from biochemically purified PSD fractions of rat and mouse brains using nanoflow HPLC coupled to electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Fluorescence microscopy and Western blotting were used to verify that many of the novel proteins identified exhibit subcellular distributions consistent with those of PSD-localized proteins. In addition to identifying most previously described PSD components, we also detected proteins involved in signaling to the nucleus as well as regulators of ADP-ribosylation factor signaling, ubiquitination, RNA trafficking, and protein translation. These results suggest new mechanisms by which the PSD helps regulate synaptic strength and transmission.

Animals↗

A proteomic characterization of the plasma membrane of human epidermis by high-throughput mass spectrometry.

Membrane proteins are responsible for many critical cellular functions and identifying cell surface proteins on different keratinocyte populations by proteomic approaches would improve our understanding of their biological function. The ability to characterize membrane proteins, however, has lagged behind that of soluble proteins both in terms of throughput and protein coverage. In this study, a membrane proteomic investigation of keratinocytes using a two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC) tandem-mass spectrometry (MS/MS) approach that relies on a buffered methanol-based solubilization, and tryptic digestion of purified plasma membrane is described. A highly enriched plasma membrane fraction was prepared from newborn foreskins using sucrose gradient centrifugation, followed by a single-tube solubilization and tryptic digestion of membrane proteins. This digestate was fractionated by strong cation-exchange chromatography and analyzed using microcapillary reversed-phase LC-MS/MS. In a set of 1306 identified proteins, 866 had a gene ontology (GO) annotation for cellular component, and 496 of these annotated proteins (57.3%) were assigned as known integral membrane proteins or membrane-associated proteins. Included in the identification of a large number of aqueous insoluble integral membrane proteins were many known intercellular adhesion proteins and gap junction proteins. Furthermore, 121 proteins from cholesterol-rich plasma membrane domains (caveolar and lipid rafts) were identified.

Caveolae↗

Multiple functional categories of proteins identified in an in vitro cellular ubiquitin affinity extract using shotgun peptide sequencing.

To construct a high information content assay for examination of the function of the cellular ubiquitin system, we added his-tagged ubiquitin, ATP, and an ATP-regenerating system to endogenous human cellular ubiquitin system enzymes, and labeled cellular proteins with hexa-histidine tagged ubiquitin in vitro. Labeling depended on ATP, the ATP recycling system, the proteasome inhibitor MG132, and the ubiquitin protease inhibitor ubiquitin aldehyde, and was inhibited by iodoacetamide. Quadruplicate affinity extracted proteins were digested with trypsin, and the peptides were analyzed by 2D capillary LC-MS/MS, SEQUEST, MEDUSA, and support vector machine calculations. Identified proteins included 22 proteasome subunits or associated proteins, 18 E1, E2, or E3 ubiquitin system enzymes or related proteins, 4 ubiquitin domain proteins and 36 proteins in functional clusters associated with redox processes, endocytosis/vesicle trafficking, the cytoskeleton, DNA damage/repair, calcium binding, and mRNA splicing. This suggests a link between the ubiquitin system and these cellular processes. This map of cellular ubiquitin-associated proteins may be useful for further studies of ubiquitin system function.

Algorithms↗

Plasticity of protein expression during culture of fetal skin cells.

In order to gain insight into the biology of fetal skin during culture, cellular proteins were studied during four culture passages (P00, P01, P04 as well as P10) using high-resolution two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MS). Bioinformatic analyses were focused on a region of each gel corresponding to pI between 4 and 8 and M(r) from 8000 to 35 000. In this area, 373 +/- 42 spots were detected (N = 18). Twenty-six spots presented an integrated intensity that increased in the higher passages, whereas five spots showed a progressively lower intensity in subsequent passaging. MS analysis was performed on spots that were unambiguously identified on preparative 2-D gels. Among the 26 spots showing an increased size between P00 and P10, 9 were identified, and corresponded to 3 proteins: (i) peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase A (P05092; cyclophilin A or cyclosporin A-binding protein), (ii) triosephosphate isomerase (P00938), and (iii) enoyl-CoA hydratase (P30084). Among these nine identified spots, three were absent at P00, but were present at P10. They corresponded to isoforms of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase and triosephosphate isomerase, respectively. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyses of the acidic isoforms of triosephosphate isomerase showed modifications of cysteine residues to cysteic acid. All these isoforms were clearly present in the skin cells of a 4-year-old child, as well as in skin cells from a 80-year-old man, at P00. These observations probably reflect either an oxidative stress related to cell culture, or, alternatively, maturation, differentiation and the aging of the cells.

Aged↗

Phosphoproteome analysis of cardiomyocytes subjected to beta-adrenergic stimulation: identification and characterization of a cardiac heat shock protein p20.

Posttranslational modification of target substrates underlies biological processes through activation/inactivation of signaling cascades. To concurrently identify the phosphoprotein substrates associated with cardiac beta-adrenergic signaling, the mouse myocyte phosphoproteome was analyzed using 2-D gel electrophoresis in combination with 32P autoradiography. Phosphoprotein spots, detected by silver staining, were identified using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in conjunction with computer-assisted protein spot matching. Stimulation with isoproterenol (1 micromol/L for 5 minutes) was associated with maximal increases in myocyte contractile parameters, and significant stimulation of the phosphorylation of troponin I (190+/-23%) and succinyl CoA synthetase (160+/-16%), whereas the phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (48+/-10%), NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (46+/-6%), heat shock protein 27 (18+/-3%), alphaB-crystallin (20+/-3%), and an unidentified 26-kDa protein (29+/-7%) was significantly decreased, compared with unstimulated cells (100%). After sustained (30 minutes) stimulation with isoproterenol, only the alterations in the phosphorylation levels of troponin I and NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase were maintained and de novo phosphorylation of a phosphoprotein (approximately 20 kDa and pI 5.5) was observed. The tryptic peptide fragments of this phosphoprotein were sequenced using postsource decay mass spectrometry, and the protein was subsequently cloned and designated as p20, based on its high sequence homology with rat and human skeletal p20. The mouse cardiac p20 contains the conserved domain sequences for heat shock proteins, and the RRAS consensus sequence for cAMP-PKA substrates. LC-MS/MS phosphorylation mapping confirmed phosphorylation of Ser16 in p20 on beta-agonist stimulation. Adenoviral gene transfer of p20 was associated with significant increases in contractility and Ca transient peak in adult rat cardiomyocytes, suggesting an important role of p20 in cardiac function. These findings suggest that cardiomyocytes undergo significant posttranslational modification via phosphorylation in a multitude of proteins to dynamically fine-tune cardiac responses to beta-adrenergic signaling.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

Applying metabolic profiling techniques for stimulus-response experiments: chances and pitfalls.

So far it is mainly transcriptome and proteome analysis that has been applied to elucidate the correlation between genotype and phenotype although thorough metabolome studies can provide substantial information on the control of the metabolism at the biochemical level. Stimulus-response experiments, i.e. the investigation of metabolism dynamics after a glucose pulse (pulse experiment), can be used to study the in vivo enzyme kinetics offering insight into underlying reaction mechanisms. Usually, this requires rapid cell quenching combined with cell inactivation to'freeze' the microbial metabolism response at a definite time-lag after pulse stimulation. To access the 'frozen' metabolic reply, adequate analytical methods are needed to measure intracellular metabolite concentrations in the cell extract. As shown in the introductory review part, stimulus-response experiments were usually applied to study central metabolism dynamics in wildtype strains. Our own results, presented in the second part of the contribution, indicate that stimulus-response experiments should also be applied to analyse pathway dynamics in anabolic routes. Using the example of the aromatic amino acid pathway, an LC-MS/MS technique is presented that allows the quantification of intracellular pools of central metabolism as well as of the aromatic amino acid pathway. Based on the analytical approach metabolic profiling is performed to monitor the metabolism dynamics after a glucose pulse experiment allowing the conclusion that pulse stimulation is transmitted to the anabolic pathway of interest.

Algorithms↗

Identification of the -1 translational frameshift sites using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric approach.

Translational frameshifting, a ubiquitous mechanism used to produce alternative proteins for different biological purposes, appears in a variety of genes in probably all organisms. In the past, the combinational use of sophisticated expression vectors, specific endopeptidases, and Edman degradation has been the main approach for identification of the translational frameshift sites. Although Edman degradation is highly reliable, it is also time-consuming and costly. In this article, we report a new liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) approach for identifying the -1 translational frameshift sites. The approach consists of three steps: (i) LC-MS/MS analysis of the protein digests, (ii) primary data analysis using the known mRNA sequence, and (iii) advanced data analysis using a new database containing distinct mRNA sequences with single insertion at particular positions. We first validated our approach by analyzing the previously documented slippery sequence, A4G, from IS3. With this approach, we further determined whether the TTTTTTG (T6G) sequence of IS1372 from Streptomyces lividans had the -1 translational frameshifting potential. The identified amino acid sequence of the transframe peptide indicated that the -1 frameshifting occurred at the T6G motif, as predicted previously. The results on IS3 (A4G) and IS1372 (T6G) suggested that this approach is effective for the translational frameshifting studies.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Schisantherin B mitigates cisplatin-induced ototoxicity by modulating the CNPY2-PERK/CHOP signaling axis.

Irreversible cisplatin-induced hearing loss (CIHL) is a refractory chemotherapy-related adverse effect with limited clinical treatments. Schisantherin B (STB), a lignan isolated from Schisandra chinensis, is widely recognized for its neuroprotective properties, while its role in auditory injury remains unclear. Herein, we found that STB alleviated cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in House Ear Institute Organ of Corti 1 (HEI-OC1) cells and guinea pig models, protecting cochlear hair cells, synaptic ribbons and spiral ganglion neurons, and partially restoring auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds. Furthermore, combined drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) assay, the cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay, we confirmed STB directly binds to the canopy FGF signaling regulator 2 (CNPY2), a key initiator of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Notably, consistent dual in vitro and in vivo validation confirmed that STB exerts no regulatory effect on CNPY2 protein abundance, yet suppressed the downstream Protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase / C/EBP homologous protein (PERK/CHOP) signaling cascade and ER stress-mediated apoptosis. Moreover, molecular docking and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) validated the physical binding of STB to CNPY2 and the endogenous interaction between CNPY2 and PERK. Additionally, CNPY2 overexpression and shRNA knockdown further verified this functional relationship. Integrated proteomic and transcriptomic analyses showed STB partially reversed cisplatin-triggered inflammation and excessive ER stress. Collectively, our results suggest STB may serve as a potential otoprotective agent. The CNPY2-PERK/CHOP axis is closely linked to cisplatin-induced cochlear damage and offers a feasible target for intervention against CIHL. Abbreviations: CIHL, cisplatin-induced hearing loss; STB, Schisantherin B; HEI-OC1, house ear institute organ of corti 1; ABR, auditory brainstem response; DARTS, drug affinity responsive target stability; CETSA, cellular thermal shift assay; SPR, surface plasmon resonance; CNPY2, canopy FGF signaling regulator 2; ER, endoplasmic reticulum; PERK, protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase; CHOP, C/EBP homologous protein; co-IP, co-immunoprecipitation; STA, Schisantherin A; STC, Schisantherin C; dB SPL, decibels sound pressure level; EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; dB SPL, decibels sound pressure level; SGN, spiral ganglion neuron; IHCs, inner hair cells; OHCs, outer hair cells; CCK-8, Cell Counting Kit-8; OD, optical density; ODb, blank sample, ODc, control sample; NC, negative control; PVDF, polyvinylidene difluoride; RT, room temperature; LC-MS/MS, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry; MS, mass spectrometry; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide; KDs, equilibrium dissociation constants; SP, standard precision; SEM, standard error of the mean; HSD, honestly significant difference; Ctrl, control group; CV, cell viability; Kd, dissociation rate constant; Ka, association rate constant; STS, sodium thiosulfate; UPR, unfolded protein response; BLB, blood-labyrinth barrier.

Apoptosis↗

A strategy of plasma protein quantitation by selective reaction monitoring of an intact protein.

Immunoassays are used extensively in the quantitative analysis of proteins in plasma, urine, and other biological matrixes to support preclinical and clinical studies. Although immunoassays are both sensitive and rapid, difficulties during development of these assays are compounded by the need to have a specific antibody or antigen to the protein of interest. Furthermore, calibration curves of immunoassays are inherently nonlinear, and the technique often detects many structurally related components in addition to the analyte of interest. We have developed a novel strategy of analyzing protein concentrations in plasma by utilizing 96-well solid-phase extraction and LC-MS/MS detection of the intact protein. This strategy has been successfully applied in method development and assay validation of quantitatively analyzing protein rK5 concentrations in monkey plasma samples. Additional techniques such as precolumn regeneration and column heating were also incorporated into the assay. Total run time for each sample was approximately 15 min. An LLOQ of 99.2 ng/mL from a sample volume of 50 microL, corresponding to only 380 fmol (3.97 ng) of the rK5 analyte being injected onto the analytical column (assuming 100% extraction recovery), was obtained. The validated linear dynamic range was between 99.2 and 52 920.0 ng/mL, with a correlation coefficient (r(2)) ranging from 0.9972 and 0.9994. The intraassay CV for this assay was between 0.6 and 3.8%, and the interassay CV was between 1.7 and 3.2%. Interassay mean accuracies were between 101.5 and 104.7%. The assay has proven rugged and specific and has been employed to generate data in support of preclinical studies. This strategy for rK5 assay could be used for the development of bioanalytical assays to provide preclinical and clinical support for other protein drug candidates and, furthermore, for the validation of biomarkers discovered from proteomic research.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Trypsin catalyzed 16O-to-18O exchange for comparative proteomics: tandem mass spectrometry comparison using MALDI-TOF, ESI-QTOF, and ESI-ion trap mass spectrometers.

Quantitative or comparative proteome analysis was initially performed with 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis with the inherent disadvantages of being biased towards certain proteins and being labor intensive. Alternative mass spectrometry-based approaches in conjunction with gel-free protein/peptide separation have been developed in recent years using various stable isotope labeling techniques. Common to all these techniques is the incorporation, biosynthetically or chemically, of a labeling moiety having either a natural isotope distribution of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, or nitrogen (light form) or being enriched with heavy isotopes like deuterium, (13)C, (18)O, or (15)N, respectively. By mixing equal amounts of a control sample possessing for instance the light form of the label with a heavy-labeled case sample, differentially labeled peptides are detected by mass spectrometric methods and their intensities serve as a means for direct relative protein quantification. While each of the different labeling methods has its advantages and disadvantages, the endoprotease (16)O-to-(18)O catalyzed oxygen exchange at the C-terminal carboxylic acid is extremely promising because of the specificity assured by the enzymatic reaction and the labeling of essentially every protease-derived peptide. We show here that this methodology is applicable to complex biological samples such as a subfraction of human plasma. Furthermore, despite the relatively small mass difference of 4 Da between the two labeled forms, corresponding to the exchange of two oxygen atoms by two (18)O isotopes, it is possible to quantify differentially labeled proteins on an ion trap mass spectrometer with a mass resolution of about 2000 in automated data dependent LC-MS/MS acquisition mode. Post column sample deposition on a MALDI target parallel to on-line ESI-MS/MS enables the analysis of the same compounds by means of ESI- and MALDI-MS/MS. This has the potential to increase the confidence in the quantification results as well as to increase the sequence coverage of potentially interesting proteins by complementary peptide ionization techniques. Additionally the paired y-ion signals in tandem mass spectra of (16)O/(18)O-labeled peptide pairs provide a means to confirm automatic protein identification results or even to assist de novo sequencing of yet unknown proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Continuous sample deposition from reversed-phase liquid chromatography to tracks on a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization precoated target for the analysis of protein digests.

Peptide mass fingerprinting by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the standard high-throughput methods for protein identification today. Traditionally this method has been based on spotting peptide mixtures onto MALDI targets. While this method works well for more abundant proteins, low-abundance proteins mixed with high-abundance proteins tend to go undetected due to ion suppression effects, instrumental dynamic range limitations and chemical noise interference. We present an alternative approach where liquid chromatography (LC) effluent is continuously collected as linear tracks on a MALDI target. In this manner the chromatographic separation is spatially preserved on the target, which enables generation of off-line LC-MS and LC-MS/MS data by MALDI. LC-MALDI sample collection provides improved sensitivity and dynamic range, spatial resolution of peptides along the sample track, and permits peptide mass mapping of low-abundance proteins in mixtures containing high-abundance proteins. In this work, standard and ribosomal protein digests are resolved and captured using LC-MALDI sample collection and analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Analyzing protein complexes in Drosophila with tandem affinity purification-mass spectrometry.

We describe the application of tandem affinity purification-mass spectrometry (TAP-MS) to the study of protein complexes in Drosophila. We have constructed vectors for inducible expression of TAP-tagged fusion proteins in Drosophila cultured cells and in vivo. Using these vectors, we tagged, as a paradigm, several components of the Notch signaling pathway, isolated protein complexes containing the baits and associated proteins from cells and embryos, and identified the subunits by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Several known interactions involving Notch pathway elements were confirmed, and many novel potential interactions were uncovered. For some of the novel associations, we validated the interaction genetically and biochemically. We conclude that TAP, in combination with MS, can be used as an effective method for the studies of the Drosophila proteome.

Affinity Labels↗

Protein identification from product ion spectra of peptides validated by correlation between measured and predicted elution times in liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) directly coupled with electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is a successful choice to obtain a large number of product ion spectra from a complex peptide mixture. We describe a search validation program, ScoreRidge, developed for analysis of LC-MS/MS data. The program validates peptide assignments to product ion spectra resulting from usual probability-based searches against primary structure databases. The validation is based only on correlation between the measured LC elution time of each peptide and the deduced elution time from the amino acid sequence assigned to product ion spectra obtained from the MS/MS analysis of the peptide. Sufficient numbers of probable assignments gave a highly correlative curve. Any peptide assignments within a certain tolerance from the correlation curve were accepted for the following arrangement step to list identified proteins. Using this data validation program, host protein candidates responsible for interaction with human hepatitis B virus core protein were identified from a partially purified protein mixture. The present simple and practical program complements protein identification from usual product ion search algorithms and reduces manual interpretation of the search result data. It will lead to more explicit protein identification from complex peptide mixtures such as whole proteome digests from tissue samples.

Chromatography, Liquid↗

Protein profiling and GC-MS product analysis provide insights into lignite solubilization and bioconversion by Lysinibacillus sphaericus strain SH19.

Lignite biosolubilization offers a mild route for valorizing low-rank coal, although the microbial processes that accompany solubilization remain incompletely defined. Here, an endogenous isolate designated Lysinibacillus sphaericus strain SH19 was evaluated using nitric-acid-pretreated Shengli lignite. Under the selected working conditions (4 M nitric-acid pretreatment, initial pH 8, 40°C, and 16 days), the apparent solubilization rate reached 66.81%. Changes in A450, residual solid mass, culture pH, and extracellular protein concentration showed that chemical pretreatment and bacterial culture were both associated with the release of soluble lignite-derived material. SDS-PAGE and two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed treatment-associated differences in extracellular and intracellular protein patterns. LC-MS/MS analysis of excised protein spots yielded 85 candidate protein assignments; the revised supplementary table reports PEAKS scores, sequence coverage, peak area, and unique-peptide counts and highlights the limited support for several entries. GC-MS analysis produced 33 tentative library assignments in the solubilized fraction, but siloxane- and silyl-related signals were treated as possible analytical background, and no pathway was inferred from these assignments alone. Together, the data identify strain SH19 as a promising lignite-biosolubilizing isolate and provide candidate proteins and product signals for future validation. The proposed process model remains exploratory because direct enzyme assays, inhibitor experiments, carbon-balance measurements, transcriptomic or genetic validation, complete GC-MS blank subtraction, and authentic-standard confirmation were not available.

Bacillaceae↗

Peptide electroextraction for direct coupling of in-gel digests with capillary LC-MS/MS for protein identification and sequencing.

An electrophoretic method has been developed for the extraction of peptides following in-gel digests of SDS-PAGE separated proteins. During electroextraction, the peptides are trapped on a strong cation-exchange microcartridge, before analysis by capillary LC--ESI-tandem mass spectrometry. The spectra obtained by tandem mass spectrometry are searched directly against a protein database for identification of the protein from which the peptide originated. By minimizing surface exposure of the peptides during electroextraction, a reduction of the detection limits for protein identification is realized. The performance of the peptide electroextraction was compared directly with the standard extraction method for in-gel protein digests, using a standard dilution series of phosphorylase B and carbonic anhydrase, separated by SDS-PAGE. The lowest gel loading in which phosphorylase B was identified using the standard extraction method was 2.5 ng or 25 fmol, and the lowest gel loading in which phosphorylase B was identified using electroextraction was 1.25 ng or 12.5 fmol. The design of the microextraction cartridge allows for direct interfacing with capillary LC, which is crucial for maintaining low detection limits. Furthermore, this method can be used for high-throughput proteomics since it can be easily multiplexed and requires only voltage control and low pressures (approximately 15 psi) for operation. We believe that peptide electroextraction is a significant advance for identification of proteins separated by one-dimensional or two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, as it can be easily automated and requires less protein than conventional methods.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

An integrated approach to identifying chemically induced posttranslational modifications using comparative MALDI-MS and targeted HPLC-ESI-MS/MS.

Identification of multiple and novel posttranslational modifications remains a major challenge in proteomics. The present approach uses comparative analysis by matrix-assisted laser/desorption ionization (MALDI) MS of proteolytic digests from control and treated proteins to target differences due to modifications, without initial assumption as to type or residue localization. Differences between modified and unmodified digest MS spectra highlight peptides of interest for subsequent tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis. Targeted HPLC-electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS/MS is then used to fragment peptides, and manual de novo sequencing is used to determine the amino acid sequence and type of modification. This strategy for identifying posttranslational modifications in an unbiased manner is particularly useful for finding modifications produced by exogenous chemicals. Successful characterization of chemically induced posttranslational modifications and novel chemical adducts is given as an example of the use of this strategy. Histone H4 from butyrate-treated LLC-PK1 cells is separated on a gel into bands representing different overall charge state. Bands are analyzed by comparative MALDI-MS and LC-MS/MS to identify the sites of methylation and acetylation. Previous attempts to identify chemically adducted proteins in vivo have been unsuccessful in part due to a lack of understanding of the final adduct form. Cytochrome c is adducted in vitro with benzoquinone, an electrophilic metabolite of benzene capable of interacting with nucleophilic sites within proteins. De novo sequencing identifies a novel cyclized diquinone adduct species as the major reaction product, targeting Lys and His residues at two specific locations on the protein surface. This unpredicted reaction product is characterized using our unbiased methods for detection and demonstrates the important influence of protein structure on chemical adduction.

Acetylation↗