Proteomic analyses using an accurate mass and time tag strategy

An accurate mass and time (AMT) tag approach for proteomic analyses has been developed over the past several years to facilitate comprehensive high-throughput proteomic measurements. An AMT tag database for an organism, tissue, or cell line is established by initially performing standard shotgun proteomic analysis and, most importantly, by validating peptide identifications using the mass measurement accuracy of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry (MS) and liquid chromatography (LC) elution time constraint. Creation of an AMT tag database largely obviates the need for subsequent MS/MS analyses, and thus facilitates high-throughput analyses. The strength of this technology resides in the ability to achieve highly efficient and reproducible one-dimensional reversed-phased LC separations in conjunction with highly accurate mass measurements using FTICR MS. Recent improvements allow for the analysis of as little as picrogram amounts of proteome samples by minimizing sample handling and maximizing peptide recovery. The nanoproteomics platform has also demonstrated the ability to detect >10(6) differences in protein abundances and identify more abundant proteins from subpicogram amounts of samples. The AMT tag approach is poised to become a new standard technique for the in-depth and high-throughput analysis of complex organisms and clinical samples, with the potential to extend the analysis to a single mammalian cell.