The jmzQuantML programming interface and validator for the mzQuantML data standard

The mzQuantML standard from the HUPO Proteomics Standards Initiative has recently been released, capturing quantitative data about peptides and proteins, following analysis of MS data. We present a Java application programming interface (API) for mzQuantML called jmzQuantML. The API provides robust bridges between Java classes and elements in mzQuantML files and allows random access to any part of the file. The API provides read and write capabilities, and is designed to be embedded in other software packages, enabling mzQuantML support to be added to proteomics software tools ( http://code.google.com/p/jmzquantml/ ). The mzQuantML standard is designed around a multilevel validation system to ensure that files are structurally and semantically correct for different proteomics quantitative techniques. In this article, we also describe a Java software tool ( http://code.google.com/p/mzquantml‐validator/ ) for validating mzQuantML files, which is a formal part of the data standard.     

Genomics,Proteomics & Bioinformatics

正Aims and Scope The goals of Genomics,ProteomicsBioinformatics(GPB)are to disseminate new frontiers of its focused research fields,to publish high-quality discoveries in a fast-pace,and to promote open access and prompt online publication for efficient publishing.     

Announcement of Distinguished GPB Articles 2003–2011

The Open Access journal Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics （GPB） would like to announce the award program for distinguished articles published in GPB.     

SELDI-TOF-MS筛选慢性阻塞性肺疾病血清标志蛋白的初步研究

目的:利用表面增强激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱技术(SELDI-TOF-MS)筛选慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)血清特异标志物。方法:应用SELDI-TOF-MS技术检测30例COPD稳定期患者和30例健康对照者血清蛋白指纹图谱,采用Biomarker pattern软件进行分析,建立COPD的诊断模型。结果:COPD患者血清蛋白图谱与对照组相比,在相对分子质量2000-15 000范围内共检测到75个蛋白峰,发现19个有统计学差异的蛋白峰(P0.05)。通过对COPD组与对照组间的数据作进一步分析,经BPS软件分析,建立质荷比(M/Z)3 167、4 645的差异蛋白组成的诊断模型,其诊断敏感度为96.67%,特异度为96.67%。结论:SELDI-TOF-MS技术是一种快速、简单易行、用量少和高通量的分析方法。能直接筛选出COPD血清中特异表达标志物,用特异表达标志物建立的诊断模型能有效区分COPD患者与健康对照者,有望成为COPD诊断的辅助指标。     

Functional and Structural Properties of a Novel Protein and Virulence Factor (Protein sHIP) in Streptococcus pyogenes

Streptococcus pyogenes is a significant bacterial pathogen in the human population. The importance of virulence factors for the survival and colonization of S. pyogenes is well established, and many of these factors are exposed to the extracellular environment, enabling bacterial interactions with the host. In the present study, we quantitatively analyzed and compared S. pyogenes proteins in the growth medium of a strain that is virulent to mice with a non-virulent strain. Particularly, one of these proteins was present at significantly higher levels in stationary growth medium from the virulent strain. We determined the three-dimensional structure of the protein that showed a unique tetrameric organization composed of four helix-loop-helix motifs. Affinity pull-down mass spectrometry analysis in human plasma demonstrated that the protein interacts with histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG), and the name sHIP (streptococcal histidine-rich glycoprotein-interacting protein) is therefore proposed. HRG has antibacterial activity, and when challenged by HRG, sHIP was found to rescue S. pyogenes bacteria. This and the finding that patients with invasive S. pyogenes infection respond with antibody production against sHIP suggest a role for the protein in S. pyogenes pathogenesis.