Native mass spectrometry: a bridge between interactomics and structural biology

Native mass spectrometry is an emerging technology that allows the topological investigation of intact protein complexes with high sensitivity and a theoretically unrestricted mass range. This unique tool provides complementary information to established technologies in structural biology, and also provides a link to high-throughput interactomics studies, which do not generate information on exact protein complex-composition, structure or dynamics. Here I review the current state of native mass spectrometry technology and discuss several important biological applications. I also describe current experimental challenges in native mass spectrometry, encouraging readers to contribute to solutions.     

The beginning of a beautiful friendship: cross-linking/mass spectrometry and modelling of proteins and multi-protein complexes

After more than a decade of method development, cross-linking in combination with mass spectrometry and bioinformatics is finally coming of age. This technology now provides improved opportunities for modelling by mapping structural details of functional complexes in solution. The structure of proteins or protein complexes is ascertained by identifying amino acid pairs that are positioned in close proximity to each other. The validity of this technique has recently been benchmarked for large multi-protein complexes, by comparing cross-link data with that from a crystal structure of RNA polymerase II. Here, the specific nature of this cross-linking data will be discussed to assess the technical challenges and opportunities for model building. We believe that once remaining technological challenges of cross-linking/mass spectrometry have been addressed and cross-linking/mass spectrometry data has been incorporated into modelling algorithms it will quickly become an indispensable companion of protein and protein complex modelling and a corner-stone of integrated structural biology.     

Mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics

A major aim of present-day proteomics is to study changes in protein expression levels at a global level, ideally monitoring all proteins present in cells or tissue. Mass spectrometry is a well-respected technology in proteomics that is widely used for the identification of proteins. More recently, methodologies have been introduced showing that mass spectrometry can also be used for protein quantification. This article reviews various mass spectrometry-based technologies in quantitative proteomics, highlighting several interesting applications in areas ranging from cell biology to clinical applications.     

Mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics

A major aim of present-day proteomics is to study changes in protein expression levels at a global level, ideally monitoring all proteins present in cells or tissue. Mass spectrometry is a well-respected technology in proteomics that is widely used for the identification of proteins. More recently, methodologies have been introduced showing that mass spectrometry can also be used for protein quantification. This article reviews various mass spectrometry-based technologies in quantitative proteomics, highlighting several interesting applications in areas ranging from cell biology to clinical applications.     

Decreased striatal levels of PEP-19 following MPTP lesion in the mouse

PEP-19 is a neuronal calmodulin-binding protein, and as such, a putative modulator of calcium regulated processes. In the present study, we used proteomics technology approaches such as peptidomics and imaging MALDI mass spectrometry, as well as traditional techniques (immunoblotting and in situ hybridization) to identify PEP-19 and, specifically, to measure PEP-19 mRNA and protein levels in an animal model of Parkinson's disease. 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) administration in mice resulted in a significant decrease in striatal PEP-19 mRNA. Capillary nano-flow liquid chromatography electrospray mass spectrometry analysis of striatal tissue revealed a significant decrease of the PEP-19 protein level. Moreover, imaging MALDI mass spectrometry also showed that PEP-19 protein was predominantly localized to the striatum of the brain tissue cross sections. After MPTP administration, PEP-19 levels were significantly reduced by 30%. We conclude that PEP-19 mRNA and protein expression are decreased in the striatum of a common animal model of Parkinson's disease. Further studies are needed to show the specific involvement of PEP-19 in the neurodegeneration seen in MPTP lesioned animals. Finally, this study has shown that the combination of traditional molecular biology techniques with novel, highly specific and sensitive mass spectrometry methods is advantageous in characterizing molecular events of many diseases, including Parkinson's disease.     

Quantitative proteome analysis using isotope-coded affinity tags and mass spectrometry

A main objective of proteomics research is to systematically identify and quantify proteins in a given proteome (cells, subcellular fractions, protein complexes, tissues or body fluids). Protein labeling with isotope-coded affinity tags (ICAT) followed by tandem mass spectrometry allows sequence identification and accurate quantification of proteins in complex mixtures, and has been applied to the analysis of global protein expression changes, protein changes in subcellular fractions, components of protein complexes, protein secretion and body fluids. This protocol describes protein-sample labeling with ICAT reagents, chromatographic fractionation of the ICAT-labeled tryptic peptides, and protein identification and quantification using tandem mass spectrometry. The method is suitable for both large-scale analysis of complex samples including whole proteomes and small-scale analysis of subproteomes, and allows quantitative analysis of proteins, including those that are difficult to analyze by gel-based proteomics technology.     

Principles and applications of multidimensional protein identification technology

Multidimensional chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry is an emerging technique for the analysis of proteomes and is rapidly being implemented by many researchers for proteomic analysis. In this technology profile, a particular proteomic approach known as multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT) is discussed. In MudPIT, a biphasic microcapillary column is packed with high-performance liquid chromatography grade reversed phase and strong cation exchange packing materials, loaded with a complex peptide mixture and placed in line with quaternary high-performance liquid chromatography and a tandem mass spectrometer. MudPIT has the capability to analyze highly complex proteomic mixtures such as whole proteomes, organelles and protein complexes.     

Principles and applications of Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology

Multidimensional chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry is an emerging technique for the analysis of proteomes and is rapidly being implemented by many researchers for proteomic analysis. In this technology profile, a particular proteomic approach known as multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT) is discussed. In MudPIT, a biphasic microcapillary column is packed with high-performance liquid chromatography grade reversed phase and strong cation exchange packing materials, loaded with a complex peptide mixture and placed in line with quaternary high-performance liquid chromatography and a tandem mass spectrometer. MudPIT has the capability to analyze highly complex proteomic mixtures such as whole proteomes, organelles and protein complexes.     

蛋白质组学研究中的分离分析技术及其研究进展

在后基因组时代,蛋白质组学成为新的研究热点。蛋白质组学的研究目标是为复杂蛋白质样品建立一个高通量、大规模、自动化的分离分析技术平台,从而实现准确、快速地筛选功能蛋白质。蛋白质的分离分析在蛋白组学研究中起着非常重要的作用。本文主要综述在蛋白质组学研究中二维凝胶电泳、毛细管电泳及其与质谱联用、多维液相分离技术及其与质谱联用和蛋白质芯片等高效分离分析技术的应用研究进展。     

Effects of modified digestion schemes on the identification of proteins from complex mixtures

In shotgun proteomics, a complex protein mixture is digested to peptides, separated, and identified by microcapillary liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In this technology, complete protein digestion is often assumed. We show that, to the contrary, modifications to a standard digestion protocol demonstrate large, reproducible improvements in protein identification, a result consistent with digestion being a limiting factor in the efficiency of protein identification.     

Ion mobility–mass spectrometry for structural proteomics

Ion mobility coupled to mass spectrometry has been an important tool in the fields of chemical physics and analytical chemistry for decades, but its potential for interrogating the structure of proteins and multiprotein complexes has only recently begun to be realized. Today, ion mobility–mass spectrometry is often applied to the structural elucidation of protein assemblies that have failed high-throughput crystallization or NMR spectroscopy screens. Here, we highlight the technology, approaches and data that have led to this dramatic shift in use, including emerging trends such as the integration of ion mobility–mass spectrometry data with more classical (e.g., ‘bottom-up’) proteomics approaches for the rapid structural characterization of protein networks.     

Algorithms for identifying protein cross-links via tandem mass spectrometry.

Cross-linking technology combined with tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) is a powerful method that provides a rapid solution to the discovery of protein-protein interactions and protein structures. We studied the problem of detecting cross-linked peptides and cross-linked amino acids from tandem mass spectral data. Our method consists of two steps: the first step finds two protein subsequences whose mass sum equals a given mass measured from the mass spectrometry; and the second step finds the best cross-linked amino acids in these two peptide sequences that are optimally correlated to a given tandem mass spectrum. We designed fast and space-efficient algorithms for these two steps and implemented and tested them on experimental data of cross-linked hemoglobin proteins. An interchain cross-link between two beta subunits was found in two tandem mass spectra. The length of the cross-linker (7.7 A) is very close to the actual distance (8.18 A) obtained from the molecular structure in PDB.     

Measuring gene expression by quantitative proteome analysis

Proteome analysis is most commonly accomplished by the combination of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis for protein separation, visualization, and quantification and mass spectrometry for protein identification. Over the past year, exceptional progress has been made towards developing a new technology base for the precise quantification and identification of proteins in complex mixtures, that is, quantitative proteomics.     

Applications of protein mass spectrometry in cell biology

Advances in mass spectrometry combined with accelerated progress in genome sequencing projects have facilitated the rapid identification of proteins by enzymatic digestion, mass analysis, and sequence database searching. Applications for this technology range from the surveillance of protein expression in cells, tissues, and whole organisms, to the identification of proteins and posttranslational modifications. Here we consider practical aspects of the application of mass spectrometry in cell biology and illustrate these with examples from our own laboratories.     

Improved molecular weight-based processing of intact proteins for interrogation by quadrupole-enhanced FT MS/MS

Complete coverage of protein primary structure is demonstrated for 37 yeast protein forms between 6 and 30 kDa in an improved platform for Top Down mass spectrometry (MS). Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for protein identification with 100% sequence coverage is achieved in a highly automated fashion with 15-300-fold less sample amounts than an initial report of a proteome fractionation approach employing preparative gel electrophoresis with an acid-labile surfactant to facilitate reversed phase separation in a second dimension. Using a quadrupole-enhanced Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometer (FTICRMS) improves the dynamic range for protein detection by approximately 50-fold and MS/MS by approximately 30-fold. The technology development illustrated here typifies an accelerating effort to detect whole proteins in a more general and higher throughput fashion for improved biomarker identification and detection of diverse post-translational modifications. Capillary RPLC is used in both off-line and on-line modes, with one on-line LC/FTMS sample providing 25 observed protein forms from 11 to 22 kDa.     

利用EST序列构建Mascot本地数据库

对蛋白质质谱数据进行数据库比对和鉴定是蛋白质组学研究技术中的一个重要步骤。由于公共数据库蛋白质数据信息不全,有些蛋白质质谱数据无法得到有效的鉴定。而利用相关物种的EST序列构建专门的质谱数据库则可以增加鉴定未知蛋白的几率。本文介绍了利用EST序列构建Mascot本地数据库的具体方法和步骤,扩展了Mascot检索引擎对蛋白质质谱数据的鉴定范围,从数据库层面提高了对未知蛋白的鉴别几率,为蛋白质组学研究提供了一种较为实用的生物信息学分析技术。     

Mass spectrometric analysis of cross-linking sites for the structure of proteins and protein complexes

Mass spectrometry has become the method of choice to detect and quantify the minute amounts of proteins at the genomic scale. It has recently been adopted for three dimensional structure analyses of proteins or protein complexes by chemically cross-linking their intact forms and analyzing the cross-linked pieces after digestion. This highlight provides an overview of the technology with a focus on advances in the last two years. This cross-linking mass spectrometry has a great potential to become a powerful tool to supplement current X-ray and NMR method of protein structure analysis.     

Antibody-based enrichment of peptides on magnetic beads for mass-spectrometry-based quantification of serum biomarkers

A major bottleneck for validation of new clinical diagnostics is the development of highly sensitive and specific assays for quantifying proteins. We previously described a method, stable isotope standards with capture by antipeptide antibodies, wherein a specific tryptic peptide is selected as a stoichiometric representative of the protein from which it is cleaved, is enriched from biological samples using immobilized antibodies, and is quantitated using mass spectrometry against a spiked internal standard to yield a measure of protein concentration. In this study, we optimized a magnetic-bead-based platform amenable to high-throughput peptide capture and demonstrated that antibody capture followed by mass spectrometry can achieve ion signal enhancements on the order of 10(3), with precision (CVs <10%) and accuracy (relative error approximately 20%) sufficient for quantifying biomarkers in the physiologically relevant ng/mL range. These methods are generally applicable to any protein or biological fluid of interest and hold great potential for providing a desperately needed bridging technology between biomarker discovery and clinical application.     

Spatial differences in an integral membrane proteome detected in laser capture microdissected samples

The combination of laser capture microdissection and mass spectrometry represents a powerful technology for studying spatially resolved proteomes. Moreover, the compositions of integral membrane proteomes have rarely been studied in a spatially resolved manner. In this study, ocular lens tissue was carefully dissected by laser capture microdissection and conditions for membrane protein enrichment, trypsin digestion, and mass spectrometry analysis were optimized. Proteomic analysis allowed the identification of 170 proteins, 136 of which were identified with more than one peptide match. Spatial differences in protein expression were observed between cortical and nuclear samples. In addition, the spatial distribution of post-translational modifications to lens membrane proteins, such as the lens major intrinsic protein AQP0, were investigated and regional differences were measured for AQP0 C-terminal phosphorylation and truncation.     

Application of Mass Spectrometry in Proteomics

Mass spectrometry has arguably become the core technology in proteomics. The application of mass spectrometry based techniques for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of global proteome samples derived from complex mixtures has had a big impact in the understanding of cellular function. Here, we give a brief introduction to principles of mass spectrometry and instrumentation currently used in proteomics experiments. In addition, recent developments in the application of mass spectrometry in proteomics are summarised. Strategies allowing high-throughput identification of proteins from highly complex mixtures include accurate mass measurement of peptides derived from total proteome digests and multidimensional peptide separations coupled with mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometric analysis of intact proteins permits the characterisation of protein isoforms. Recent developments in stable isotope labelling techniques and chemical tagging allow the mass spectrometry based differential display and quantitation of proteins, and newly established affinity procedures enable the targeted characterisation of post-translationally modified proteins. Finally, advances in mass spectrometric imaging allow the gathering of specific information on the local molecular composition, relative abundance and spatial distribution of peptides and proteins in thin tissue sections.