Assessment of lectin and HILIC based enrichment protocols for characterization of serum glycoproteins by mass spectrometry

Protein glycosylation is a common post-translational modification that is involved in many biological processes, including cell adhesion, protein-protein and receptor-ligand interactions. The glycoproteome constitutes a source for identification of disease biomarkers since altered protein glycosylation profiles are associated with certain human ailments. Glycoprotein analysis by mass spectrometry of biological samples, such as blood serum, is hampered by sample complexity and the low concentration of the potentially informative glycopeptides and -proteins. We assessed the utility of lectin-based and HILIC-based affinity enrichment techniques, alone or in combination, for preparation of glycoproteins and glycopeptides for subsequent analysis by MALDI and ESI mass spectrometry. The methods were successfully applied to human serum samples and a total of 86 N-glycosylation sites in 45 proteins were identified using a mixture of three immobilized lectins for consecutive glycoprotein enrichment and glycopeptide enrichment. The combination of lectin affinity enrichment of glycoproteins and subsequent HILIC enrichment of tryptic glycopeptides identified 81 N-glycosylation sites in 44 proteins. A total of 63 glycosylation sites in 38 proteins were identified by both methods, demonstrating distinct differences and complementarity. Serial application of custom-made microcolumns of mixed, immobilized lectins proved efficient for recovery and analysis of glycopeptides from serum samples of breast cancer patients and healthy individuals to assess glycosylation site frequencies.     

Strong cation exchange (SCX) based analytical methods for the targeted analysis of protein post-translational modifications

The multidimensional combination of strong cation exchange (SCX) chromatography and reversed phase chromatography has emerged as a powerful approach to separate peptides originating from complex samples such as digested cellular lysates or tissues before analysis by mass spectrometry, enabling the identification of over 10,000s of peptides and thousands of proteins in a single sample. Although, such multidimensional chromatography approaches are powerful, the in-depth analysis of protein post-translational modifications still requires additional sample preparation steps, involving the specific enrichment of peptides displaying the targeted modification. Here, we describe how in particular SCX chromatography can be used for the targeted analysis of important post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation and N-terminal acetylation. Compared to other methods, SCX is less labor-intensive and more robust, and therefore likely more easily adaptable to main-stream research laboratories.     

Saliva proteome research: current status and future outlook

Human saliva harbours proteins of clinical relevance and about 30% of blood proteins are also present in saliva. This highlights that saliva can be used for clinical applications just as urine or blood. However, the translation of salivary biomarker discoveries into clinical settings is hampered by the dynamics and complexity of the salivary proteome. This review focuses on the current status of technological developments and achievements relating to approaches for unravelling the human salivary proteome. We discuss the dynamics of the salivary proteome, as well as the importance of sample preparation and processing techniques and their influence on downstream protein applications; post-translational modifications of salivary proteome and protein: protein interactions. In addition, we describe possible enrichment strategies for discerning post-translational modifications of salivary proteins, the potential utility of selected-reaction-monitoring techniques for biomarker discovery and validation, limitations to proteomics and the biomarker challenge and future perspectives. In summary, we provide recommendations for practical saliva sampling, processing and storage conditions to increase the quality of future studies in an emerging field of saliva clinical proteomics. We propose that the advent of technologies allowing sensitive and high throughput proteome-wide analyses, coupled to well-controlled study design, will allow saliva to enter clinical practice as an alternative to blood-based methods due to its simplistic nature of sampling, non-invasiveness, easy of collection and multiple collections by untrained professionals and cost-effective advantages.     

基于超滤膜辅助的糖蛋白全N-连接糖链的富集和质谱解析

糖基化作为一种常见的蛋白质翻译后修饰,对蛋白质的空间结构、生物功能等具有重要的影响.解析糖蛋白糖链结构有助于更清楚地认识糖蛋白及其功能.本研究建立了一种基于超滤膜富集血清中糖蛋白全N-连接糖链,并利用质谱技术对糖链结构进行分析的方法.根据糖蛋白及其糖链结构之间的分子质量差异,利用Millipore公司的10 ku超滤膜富集血清糖蛋白上酶解(PNGase F)释放的全N-连接糖链,并使用MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS解析糖链结构.通过该技术可以从血清中富集并鉴定到23种独特的N-连接的糖链结构,并且利用二级质谱进行了结构确认.该方法可以被用于从大量生物样本中富集糖蛋白全N-连接糖链,可以达到快速、高通量地解析糖蛋白N-连接糖链的目的.     

翻译后修饰蛋白质组学研究的技术策略

 蛋白质组学早期研究的绝大部分工作是在关注细胞不同生长时期或是疾病、分裂素刺激下的蛋白质表达水平变化.然而,许多至关重要的生命进程不仅由蛋白质的相对丰度控制,更重要的是被那些时空特异分布的可逆翻译后修饰控制的,揭示翻译后修饰发生规律是理解蛋白质复杂多样的生物功能的一个重要前提.由于翻译后修饰蛋白质在样本中含量低且动态范围广,其相关研究极具挑战性,亲和富集、多维分离等技术与生物质谱的结合为翻译后修饰蛋白质组学的发展提供了契机,目前,已进行规模化研究的蛋白质翻译后修饰主要有四大类,其中磷酸化和糖基化研究较多.本文针对大规模翻译后的修饰蛋白质的分析策略和技术路线,如蛋白质的磷酸化修饰, 糖基化修饰, 泛素化修饰,基于蛋白质氧化还原状态进行的氧化还原修饰和其它修饰像乙酰化、甲基化、脂基化修饰等进行了综述.     

Profiling of lysine-acetylated proteins in human urine

A biomarker is a measurable indicator associated with changes in physiological state or disease. In contrast to the blood which is under homeostatic controls, urine reflects changes in the body earlier and more sensitively, and is therefore a better biomarker source. Lysine acetylation is an abundant and highly regulated post-translational modification. It plays a pivotal role in modulating diverse biological processes and is associated with various important diseases. Enrichment or visualization of proteins with specific post-translational modifications provides a method for sampling the urinary proteome and reducing sample complexity. In this study, we used anti-acetyllysine antibody-based immunoaffinity enrichment combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry to profile lysine-acetylated proteins in normal human urine. A total of 629 acetylation sites on 315 proteins were identified, including some very low-abundance proteins. This is the first proteome-wide characterization of lysine acetylation proteins in normal human urine. Our dataset provides a useful resource for the further discovery of lysine-acetylated proteins as biomarkers in urine.     

Mapping sites of O-GlcNAc modification using affinity tags for serine and threonine post-translational modifications

Identifying sites of post-translational modifications on proteins is a major challenge in proteomics. O-Linked beta-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a dynamic nucleocytoplasmic modification more analogous to phosphorylation than to classical complex O-glycosylation. We describe a mass spectrometry-based method for the identification of sites modified by O-GlcNAc that relies on mild beta-elimination followed by Michael addition with dithiothreitol (BEMAD). Using synthetic peptides, we also show that biotin pentylamine can replace dithiothreitol as the nucleophile. The modified peptides can be efficiently enriched by affinity chromatography, and the sites can be mapped using tandem mass spectrometry. This same methodology can be applied to mapping sites of serine and threonine phosphorylation, and we provide a strategy that uses modification-specific antibodies and enzymes to discriminate between the two post-translational modifications. The BEMAD methodology was validated by mapping three previously identified O-GlcNAc sites, as well as three novel sites, on Synapsin I purified from rat brain. BEMAD was then used on a purified nuclear pore complex preparation to map novel sites of O-GlcNAc modification on the Lamin B receptor and the nucleoporin Nup155. This method is amenable for performing quantitative mass spectrometry and can also be adapted to quantify cysteine residues. In addition, our studies emphasize the importance of distinguishing between O-phosphate versus O-GlcNAc when mapping sites of serine and threonine post-translational modification using beta-elimination/Michael addition methods.     

Tools for phospho- and glycoproteomics of plasma membranes

Analysis of plasma membrane proteins and their posttranslational modifications is considered as important for identification of disease markers and targets for drug treatment. Due to their insolubility in water, studying of plasma membrane proteins using mass spectrometry has been difficult for a long time. Recent technological developments in sample preparation together with important improvements in mass spectrometric analysis have facilitated analysis of these proteins and their posttranslational modifications. Now, large scale proteomic analyses allow identification of thousands of membrane proteins from minute amounts of sample. Optimized protocols for affinity enrichment of phosphorylated and glycosylated peptides have set new dimensions in the depth of characterization of these posttranslational modifications of plasma membrane proteins. Here, I summarize recent advances in proteomic technology for the characterization of the cell surface proteins and their modifications. In the focus are approaches allowing large scale mapping rather than analytical methods suitable for studying individual proteins or non-complex mixtures.     

Characterisation of protein microheterogeneity and protein complexes using on-chip immunoaffinity purification-mass spectrometry.

Post-translational modification of proteins may influence their interactions with other plasma proteins, as well as having an effect on many aspects of the metabolism of the protein, such as receptor binding, tissue uptake, degradation and excretion. Many post-translational modifications occur in a physiological context, while others are specific for certain diseases, which is why they are of diagnostic importance in clinical proteomics. Analytical approaches to the study of post-translational modifications and protein complexes through the combined use of on-chip immunological affinity purification on a surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionisation platform and subsequent mass spectrometry are illustrated in the author's own work relating to plasma transthyretin (TTR) and retinol-binding protein (RBP). In those studies, both the aspects of post-translational modifications of TTR and the formation of a protein complex between TTR and RBP have been discussed. Such aspects are of diagnostic interest in clinical proteomics, especially with regard to the modification of TTR in relation to the occurrence of amyloidotic diseases.     

Modification-specific proteomics: characterization of post-translational modifications by mass spectrometry

Post-translational modifications generate tremendous diversity, complexity and heterogeneity of gene products, and their determination is one of the main challenges in proteomics research. Recent developments in mass spectrometry based approaches for systematic, qualitative and quantitative determination of modified proteins promise to bring new insights on the dynamics and spatio-temporal control of protein activities by post-translational modifications, and reveal their roles in biological processes and pathogenic conditions. Combinations of affinity-based enrichment and extraction methods, multidimensional separation technologies and mass spectrometry are particularly attractive for systematic investigation of post-translationally modified proteins in proteomics.     

Absolute quantification strategies in proteomics based on mass spectrometry

The strong need for quantitative information in proteomics has fueled the development of mass spectrometry-based analytical methods that are able to determine protein abundances. This article reviews mass spectrometry experiments aimed at providing an absolute quantification of proteins. The experiments make use of the isotope-dilution concept by spiking a known amount of synthetic, isotope-labeled reference peptide into the analyte sample. Quantification is achieved by comparing the mass spectrometry signal intensities of the reference with an endogenous peptide that is generated upon proteolytic cleavage of the target protein. In an analogous manner, the level of post-translational modification at a distinct residue within a target protein can be determined. Among the strengths of absolute quantification are low detection limits reaching subfemtomole levels, a high dynamic range spanning approximately five orders of magnitude, low requirements for sample clean-up, and a fast and straightforward method development. Recent studies have demonstrated the compatibility of absolute quantification with various mass spectrometry readout techniques and sample purification steps such as 1D gel electrophoresis, size-exclusion chromatography, isoelectric peptide focusing, strong cation exchange and reversed phase or affinity chromatography. Under ideal conditions, quantification errors and coefficients of variation below 5% have been reported. However, the fact that at the start of the experiment the analyte is a protein and the internal standard is a peptide, severe quantification errors may result due to the selection of unsuitable reference peptides and/or imperfect protein proteolysis. Within the ensemble of mass spectrometry-based quantification methods, absolute quantification is the method of choice in cases where absolute numbers, many repetitive experiments or precise levels of post-translational modifications are required for a few, preselected species of interest. Consequently, prominent application areas include biomarker quantification, the study of post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation or ubiquitination and the comparison of concentrations of interacting proteins.     

有机框架材料在多肽富集的应用

生物医药领域近年来发展迅猛,多肽类药物因其生物学活性高、毒性小、生物相容性好等优势,在肿瘤治疗、细胞活性模拟、抗体检测等领域展开广泛应用,多肽的检测分析也成为研究的一大热点。传统的色谱法、溶剂沉淀法、离心超滤法和固相萃取法对多肽能够展现富集效果,但富集的效率往往不够理想。近年来,以有机框架材料为代表的纳米材料,在气体吸附、荧光、传感和催化等领域展开了广泛应用。有机框架材料凭借着独特的结构尺寸,成为了一类理想的生物吸附剂。由于其具有表面可修饰性,能够大大提高对多肽的富集效率。本文着重介绍近5年来金属-有机框架材料（metalorganic frameworks,MOFs）和共价-有机框架（covalent-organic frameworks,COFs）在多肽富集中的应用。     

Absolute quantification strategies in proteomics based on mass spectrometry

The strong need for quantitative information in proteomics has fueled the development of mass spectrometry-based analytical methods that are able to determine protein abundances. This article reviews mass spectrometry experiments aimed at providing an absolute quantification of proteins. The experiments make use of the isotope-dilution concept by spiking a known amount of synthetic, isotope-labeled reference peptide into the analyte sample. Quantification is achieved by comparing the mass spectrometry signal intensities of the reference with an endogenous peptide that is generated upon proteolytic cleavage of the target protein. In an analogous manner, the level of post-translational modification at a distinct residue within a target protein can be determined. Among the strengths of absolute quantification are low detection limits reaching subfemtomole levels, a high dynamic range spanning approximately five orders of magnitude, low requirements for sample clean-up, and a fast and straightforward method development. Recent studies have demonstrated the compatibility of absolute quantification with various mass spectrometry readout techniques and sample purification steps such as 1D gel electrophoresis, size-exclusion chromatography, isoelectric peptide focusing, strong cation exchange and reversed phase or affinity chromatography. Under ideal conditions, quantification errors and coefficients of variation below 5% have been reported. However, the fact that at the start of the experiment the analyte is a protein and the internal standard is a peptide, severe quantification errors may result due to the selection of unsuitable reference peptides and/or imperfect protein proteolysis. Within the ensemble of mass spectrometry-based quantification methods, absolute quantification is the method of choice in cases where absolute numbers, many repetitive experiments or precise levels of post-translational modifications are required for a few, preselected species of interest. Consequently, prominent application areas include biomarker quantification, the study of post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation or ubiquitination and the comparison of concentrations of interacting proteins.     

Selenium effects on arsenic cytotoxicity and protein phosphorylation in human kidney cells using chip-based nanoLC-MS/MS

Although arsenic toxicity is well known, little is known of how it exerts its effects at the proteome level. Protein phosphorylation is an important post-translational modification in the regulation of cell signaling. Despite the importance of protein phosphorylation, the identification and characterization of phosphorylated proteins, as influenced by interaction between arsenic and selenium species have not been fully studied. The aim of this study is to identify phosphorylation in arsenic toxified cells, with and without selenium present. Here, we identify the phosphorylated proteins related to post translational modifications (PTMs) after inorganic arsenic (iAs) and selenomethionine (SeMet) were inoculated together with HEK293 human kidney cells. In this study, using TiO(2)-based nanoLC-phosphochip? coupled to ESI-MS we observed phosphorylated peptide enrichment and significant reduction in sample complexity. The identification of phosphorylated proteins in highly complex digests of cell lysate were markedly different with As toxification only, or when in the presence of SeMet. Several phosphorylation sites and proteins are identified using Spectrum Mill and Mascot protein data base search engines. Cytotoxicity studies showed that SeMet significantly reduces the cytotoxic effect of iAs in HEK293 cells, while inorganic selenium did not.     

Enrichment and analysis of nonenzymatically glycated peptides: boronate affinity chromatography coupled with electron-transfer dissociation mass spectrometry

Nonenzymatic glycation of peptides and proteins by d-glucose has important implications in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus, particularly in the development of diabetic complications. However, no effective high-throughput methods exist for identifying proteins containing this low-abundance post-translational modification in bottom-up proteomic studies. In this report, phenylboronate affinity chromatography was used in a two-step enrichment scheme to selectively isolate first glycated proteins and then glycated, tryptic peptides from human serum glycated in vitro. Enriched peptides were subsequently analyzed by alternating electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) and collision induced dissociation (CID) tandem mass spectrometry. ETD fragmentation mode permitted identification of a significantly higher number of glycated peptides (87.6% of all identified peptides) versus CID mode (17.0% of all identified peptides), when utilizing enrichment on first the protein and then the peptide level. This study illustrates that phenylboronate affinity chromatography coupled with LC-MS/MS and using ETD as the fragmentation mode is an efficient approach for analysis of glycated proteins and may have broad application in studies of diabetes mellitus.     

Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry profiling of histones

Here we describe the use of reverse-phase liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (RPLC-MS) to simultaneously characterize variants and post-translationally modified isoforms for each histone. The analysis of intact proteins significantly reduces the time of sample preparation and simplifies data interpretation. LC-MS analysis and peptide mass mapping have previously been applied to identify histone proteins and to characterize their post-translational modifications. However, these studies provided limited characterization of both linker histones and core histones. The current LC-MS analysis allows for the simultaneous observation of all histone PTMs and variants (both replacement and bulk histones) without further enrichment, which will be valuable in comparative studies. Protein identities were verified by the analysis of histone H2A species using RPLC fractionation, AU-PAGE separation and nano-LC-MS/MS.     

O-linked N-acetylglucosamine proteomics of postsynaptic density preparations using lectin weak affinity chromatography and mass spectrometry

O-GlcNAc is a widespread dynamic carbohydrate modification of cytosolic and nuclear proteins with features analogous to phosphorylation. O-GlcNAc acts critically in many cellular processes, including signal transduction, protein degradation, and regulation of gene expression. However, the study of its specific regulatory functions has been limited by difficulties in mapping sites of O-GlcNAc modification. We report methods for direct enrichment and identification of in vivo O-GlcNAc-modified peptides through lectin weak affinity chromatography (LWAC) and mass spectrometry. The effectiveness of this strategy on complex peptide mixtures was demonstrated through enrichment of 145 unique O-GlcNAc-modified peptides from a postsynaptic density preparation. 65 of these O-GlcNAc-modified peptides were sequenced and belonged to proteins with diverse functions in synaptic transmission. Beta-elimination/Michael addition, MS(3) on O-GlcNAc neutral loss ions, and electron capture dissociation were shown to facilitate analysis of O-GlcNAc-modified peptides/sites from lectin weak affinity chromatography enriched postsynaptic density samples. Bassoon and Piccolo, proteins critical to synapse assembly and vesicle docking, were extensively modified by O-GlcNAc. In some cases, O-GlcNAc was mapped to peptides previously identified as phosphorylated, indicating potential interplay between these modifications. Shared substrate amino acid context was apparent in subsets of O-GlcNAc-modified peptides, including "PVST" and a novel "TTA" motif (two hydroxyl-containing amino acids adjacent to an alanine). The results suggest specific roles for O-GlcNAc modification in synaptic transmission, establish a basis for site-specific regulatory studies, and provide methods that will facilitate O-GlcNAc proteome analysis across a wide variety of cells and tissues.     

利用碱性磷酸酶初步判定二维电泳中蛋白质磷酸化修饰

磷酸化是蛋白质最重要的翻译后修饰形式之一.以二维电泳为基础的蛋白质组学是发现蛋白磷酸化状态改变的有效途径. 本文介绍了在用于二维电泳的蛋白样品制备过程中,利用小牛肠碱性磷酸酶成功去除蛋白质上磷酸基团的过程. 该技术将去磷酸化作用和蛋白质组学手段联系在一起,为蛋白质磷酸化修饰的初步判定提供了简便、经济、切实可行的方法.     

Enhanced N-glycosylation site analysis of sialoglycopeptides by strong cation exchange prefractionation applied to platelet plasma membranes

Elucidation of post-translational modifications to proteins, such as glycosylations or phosphorylations, is one of the major issues concerning ongoing proteomics studies. To reduce general sample complexity, a necessary prerequisite is specific enrichment of peptide subsets prior to mass spectrometric sequencing. Regarding analysis of overall N-glycosylation sites in the past, this has been achieved by several approaches proving to be more or less complicated and specific. Here we present a novel strategy to target N-glycosylation sites with application to platelet membrane proteins. Initial aqueous two-phase partitioning for membrane enrichment and single step strong cation exchange-based purification of glycopeptides resulted in identification of 148 glycosylation sites on 79 different protein species. Although 69% of these sites were not annotated in the Swiss-Prot database before, a high number of 75% plasma membrane-localized proteins were analyzed. Furthermore miniaturizations and relative quantification are comprised in the developed method suggesting further use in other proteome projects. Results on platelet glycosylation sites may imply an impact on research of bleeding disorders as well as potential new functions in inflammation and immunoactivity.     

Techniques for studying protein heterogeneity and post-translational modifications

Proteins often undergo several post-translational modification steps in parallel to protein folding. These modifications can be transient or of a more permanent nature. Most modifications are, however, susceptible to alteration during the lifespan of proteins. Post-translational modifications thus generate variability in proteins that are far beyond that provided by the genetic code. Co- and post-translational modifications can convert the 20 specific codon-encoded amino acids into more than 100 variant amino acids with new properties. These, and a number of other modifications, can considerably increase the information content and functional repertoire of proteins, thus making their analysis of paramount importance for diagnostic and basic research purposes. Various methods used in proteomics, such as 2D gel electrophoresis, 2D liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, affinity-based analytical methods, interaction analyses, ligand blotting techniques, protein crystallography and structure–function predictions, are all applicable for the analysis of these numerous secondary modifications. In this review, examples of some of these techniques in studying the heterogeneity of proteins are highlighted. In the future, these methods will become increasingly useful in biomarker searches and in clinical diagnostics.