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Multi-omics-based study on the biological characteristics of kidney renal deficiency and blood stasis in ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECIVE: To explore the objective biological evidence for the classification and diagnosis of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) using multiomics analysis. METHODS: Patients with AS were categorized into kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome (SX group) and damp-heat stasis syndrome (SR group). Transcriptomic sequencing and quantitative plasma proteomics were performed on patients with AS and healthy volunteers. Multiomics integration was used to characterize the biological basis of AS with renal deficiency and blood stasis syndrome. Specific proteins were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Transcriptomic sequencing identified 31 significantly upregulated genes in patients with AS compared to healthy controls. These genes were primarily involved in tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-17, and nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathways, as well as osteoblast differentiation and various viral infection pathways. Differentially expressed genes, including intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A, interleukin 1 receptor antagonist, integrin alpha IIb, and myosin light chain 9 were more upregulated in the SX group than in the SR group. Quantitative proteomics identified 723 differential proteins associated with the disease and 788 differential proteins between the SX and SR groups. Notable proteins such as myeloperoxidase, cluster of differentiation 14, macrophage simulating 1 (MST1), and Ras homolog enriched in brain may serve as characteristic proteins of the SX group. By integrating transcriptomic and proteomic data, 45 associated differential molecules involved in platelet activation, pathogenic intestinal flora infection, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and T-cell receptor signaling pathways were identified in patients with AS compared to healthy controls. Additionally, ICAM1, MST1, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8), suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) were detected in TCM syndromes by RT-qPCR and ELISA, showing upregulation in AS renal deficiency and blood stasis syndromes, which is consistent with the proteomic and transcriptomic results. CONCLUSIONS: ICAM1, MST1, CXCL8, SOCS3, and IGFBP1 were identified as biomarkers of renal deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in AS. This study provides a biological basis for the differential diagnosis of TCM syndromes in AS, offering new insights into Chinese medicine evidence and more precise Chinese medicine treatments for AS.

Humans↗

Analysis of the defence phosphoproteome of Arabidopsis thaliana using differential mass tagging.

Despite recent advances in proteomic technologies, quantitative analysis of the proteome remains a challenging task. Phosphorylation of proteins is central to signal transduction pathways and plays an important role in plant defence against pathogens, although the immediate targets of kinases remain elusive. Determining changes in the phosphoproteome during the defence response is a major goal in molecular plant pathology. In this first description of the novel mass tagging strategy (iTRAQ Applied Biosystems) applied to plant pathogen interactions, we describe early changes to the phosphoproteome of Arabidopsis thaliana during the defence response to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. We identified five proteins which showed reproducible differences between a control and three different bacterial challenges, thus identifying proteins potentially phosphorylated as part of a plant basal defence response. Four of the five proteins a dehydrin, a putative p23 co-chaperone, heat shock protein 81 and a plastid-associated protein (PAP)/fibrillin, are known to be phosphorylated or have potential phosphorylation sites. One further protein, the large subunit of Rubisco, showed a significant difference between tissue undergoing the hypersensitive response and a basal defence response. We document the reproducibility, utility and problems associated with this approach.

Arabidopsis↗

Quantitative amino acid and proteomic analysis: very low excretion of polypeptides >750 Da in normal urine.

BACKGROUND: Quantitative data on protein and polypeptide excretion in normal urine are lacking. In Fanconi syndrome, failure of proximal tubular protein reabsorption leads to 'tubular' proteinuria, but little is known about peptide excretion. METHODS: Urine from normal (N=5) and Fanconi patients (Dent's disease, N=2; Lowe syndrome, N=3) was fractionated by size-exclusion chromatography into proteins (>10 kD) and smaller polypeptides. Each fraction was subjected to amino acid analysis after acid hydrolysis. In complementary proteomic approaches, urinary polypeptides were each subjected to reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and nano-flow liquid chromatography directly coupled to electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectrometry (NanoLC-ESI-MS/MS) before and after tryptic digestion. RESULTS: Based on amino acid composition, normal human urine, excluding Tamm-Horsfall protein, contains 33.7 +/- 10.7 mg protein per 24 hr (mean +/- SEM) protein defined as polypeptide >10 kD; peptide content in range 750 Da to 10 kD is 22.0 +/- 9.6 mg. Fanconi patients excrete greatly increased amounts of protein, 1740 +/- 660 mg/24 hr, and peptide, 446 +/- 145 mg/24 hr. Peptides 2 to 5 kD were present in 12.9- +/- 3.9-fold excess in Fanconi compared with normal urine. In contrast, free amino acid excretion in Fanconi was elevated only 2.14- +/- 0.73-fold. Mass spectrometric techniques determined that the major form of albumin in both normal and Fanconi urine was the full-length protein, and did not detect significant peptides of nonrenal origin. CONCLUSION: There is only very low excretion of polypeptides >750 Da in normal human urine. In Fanconi syndrome, excretion of unknown peptides of mass 2 to 5 kD, possibly relevant to the development of renal failure, is greatly increased.

Amino Acids↗

Protein labeling by iTRAQ: a new tool for quantitative mass spectrometry in proteome research.

A novel, MS-based approach for the relative quantification of proteins, relying on the derivatization of primary amino groups in intact proteins using isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) is presented. Due to the isobaric mass design of the iTRAQ reagents, differentially labeled proteins do not differ in mass; accordingly, their corresponding proteolytic peptides appear as single peaks in MS scans. Because quantitative information is provided by isotope-encoded reporter ions that can only be observed in MS/MS spectra, we analyzed the fragmentation behavior of ESI and MALDI ions of peptides generated from iTRAQ-labeled proteins using a TOF/TOF and/or a QTOF instrument. We observed efficient liberation of reporter ions for singly protonated peptides at low-energy collision conditions. In contrast, increased collision energies were required to liberate the iTRAQ label from lysine side chains of doubly charged peptides and, thus, to observe reporter ions suitable for relative quantification of proteins with high accuracy. We then developed a quantitative strategy that comprises labeling of intact proteins by iTRAQ followed by gel electrophoresis and peptide MS/MS analyses. As proof of principle, mixtures of five different proteins in various concentration ratios were quantified, demonstrating the general applicability of the approach presented here to quantitative MS-based proteomics.

Chromatography, Liquid↗

Global quantitative phosphoprotein analysis using Multiplexed Proteomics technology.

Systematic parallel analysis of the phosphorylation status of networks of interacting proteins involved in the regulatory circuitry of cells and tissues is certain to drive research in the post-genomics era for many years to come. Reversible protein phosphorylation plays a critical regulatory role in a multitude of cellular processes, including alterations in signal transduction pathways related to oncogene and tumor suppressor gene products in cancer. While fluorescence detection methods are likely to offer the best solution to global protein quantitation in proteomics, to date, there has been no satisfactory method for the specific and reversible fluorescent detection of gel-separated phosphoproteins from complex samples. The newly developed Pro-Q Diamond phosphoprotein dye technology is suitable for the fluorescent detection of phosphoserine-, phosphothreonine-, and phosphotyrosine-containing proteins directly in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gels and two-dimensional (2-D) gels. Additionally, the technology is appropriate for the determination of protein kinase and phosphatase substrate preference. Other macromolecules, such as DNA, RNA, and sulfated glycans, fail to be detected with Pro-Q Diamond dye. The staining procedure is rapid, simple to perform, readily reversible and fully compatible with modern microchemical analysis procedures, such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Pro-Q Diamond dye technology can detect as little as 1-2 ng of beta-casein, a pentaphosphorylated protein, and 8 ng of pepsin, a monophosphorylated protein. Fluorescence signal intensity correlates with the number of phosphorylated residues on the protein. Through combination of Pro-Q Diamond phosphoprotein stain with SYPRO(R) Ruby protein gel stain, Multiplexed Proteomics technology permits quantitative, dichromatic fluorescence detection of proteins in 2-D gels. This evolving discovery platform allows the parallel determination of protein expression level changes and altered post-translational modification patterns within a single 2-D gel experiment. The linear responses of the fluorescence dyes utilized, allow rigorous quantitation of changes over an unprecedented 500-1000-fold concentration range.

Animals↗

Quantitative profiling of drug-associated proteomic alterations by combined 2-nitrobenzenesulfenyl chloride (NBS) isotope labeling and 2DE/MS identification.

The identification of drug-responsive biomarkers in complex protein mixtures is an important goal of quantitative proteomics. Here, we describe a novel approach for identifying such drug-induced protein alterations, which combines 2-nitrobenzenesulfenyl chloride (NBS) tryptophan labeling with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE)/mass spectrometry (MS). Lysates from drug-treated and control samples are labeled with light or heavy NBS moiety and separated on a common 2DE gel, and protein alterations are identified by MS through the differential intensity of paired NBS peptide peaks. Using NBS/2DE/MS, we profiled the proteomic alterations induced by tamoxifen (TAM) in the estrogen receptor (ER) positive MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Of 88 protein spots that significantly changed upon TAM treatment, 44 spots representing 23 distinct protein species were successfully identified with NBS-paired peptides. Of these 23 TAM-altered proteins, 16 (70%) have not been previously associated with TAM or ER activity. We found the NBS labeling procedure to be both technically and biologically reproducible, and the NBS/2DE/MS alterations exhibited good concordance with conventional 2DE differential protein quantitation, with discrepancies largely due to the comigration of distinct proteins in the regular 2DE gels. To validate the NBS/2DE/MS results, we used immunoblotting to confirm GRP78, CK19, and PA2G4 as bona fide TAM-regulated proteins. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PA2G4 expression can serve as a novel prognostic factor for disease-free survival in two independent breast cancer patient cohorts. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the proteomic changes in breast cancer cells induced by TAM, the most commonly used selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). Our results indicate that NBS/2DE/MS may represent a more reliable approach for cellular protein quantitation than conventional 2DE approaches.

Cell Line, Tumor↗

Intact-protein-based high-resolution three-dimensional quantitative analysis system for proteome profiling of biological fluids.

The substantial complexity and vast dynamic range of protein abundance in biological fluids, notably serum and plasma, present a formidable challenge for comprehensive protein analysis. Integration of multiple technologies is required to achieve high-resolution and high-sensitivity proteomics analysis of biological fluids. We have implemented an orthogonal three-dimensional intact-protein analysis system (IPAS), coupled with protein tagging and immunodepletion of abundant proteins, to quantitatively profile the human plasma proteome. Following immunodepletion, plasma proteins in each of paired samples are concentrated and labeled with a different Cy dye, before mixing. Proteins are subsequently separated in three dimensions according to their charge, hydrophobicity, and molecular mass. Differences in the abundance of resolved proteins are determined based on Cy dye ratios. We have applied this strategy to profile the plasma proteome for changes that occur with acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Using capillary HPLC ESI Q-TOF MS, we identified 75 proteins in the micromolar to femtomolar range that exhibited quantitative differences between the pre- and post-GVHD samples. These proteins included serum amyloid A, apolipoproteins A-I/A-IV, and complement C3 that are well-known acute-phase reactants likely reflecting the post-BMT inflammatory state. In addition, we identified some potentially interesting immunologically relevant molecules including vitamin D-binding protein, fetuin, vitronectin, proline-rich protein 3 and 4, integrin-alpha, and leukocyte antigen CD97. IPAS provides a combination of comprehensive profiling and quantitative analysis, with a substantial dynamic range, for disease-related applications.

Adult↗

Studies of quantitative analysis of protein expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In the present study amino acid analysis is applied to quantitation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae proteome expression. The quantitation levels obtained are compared to data using densitometric analysis of silver or amido black staining and to the theoretical expression level (codon bias) of the identified proteins determined from their amino acid analysis (AAA). The results show that relative volume ratio (%vol) using Melanie II is a better parameter for spot quantitation than relative optical density ratio (%OD), and amino black staining provides good linearity within the range 1-100 pmol protein. However, AAA shows that theoretical expression levels are not well correlated with actual protein expression level, although there is better correlation when isoforms of the expressed protein are identified and included. It is concluded that amino acid analysis provides accurate protein quantitation and has a continuing role in proteome studies in terms of the rapid and inexpensive quantitation of proteins displayed on proteome maps. We do however recognize that in the context of future clinical applications and large-scale proteome discovery projects, quantitation and post-translational modification need to be analyzed by 'proteomatic' (i.e., proteome automatic bioinformatic analysis directly from the gel) techniques.

Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional↗

Quantitative analysis of bacterial and mammalian proteomes using a combination of cysteine affinity tags and 15N-metabolic labeling.

We describe the combined use of 15N-metabolic labeling and a cysteine-reactive biotin affinity tag to isolate and quantitate cysteine-containing polypeptides (Cys-polypeptides) from Deinococcus radiodurans as well as from mouse B16 melanoma cells. D. radiodurans were cultured in both natural isotopic abundance and 15N-enriched media. Equal numbers of cells from both cultures were combined and the soluble proteins extracted. This mixture of isotopically distinct proteins was derivatized using a commercially available cysteine-reactive reagent that contains a biotin group. Following trypsin digestion, the resulting modified peptides were isolated using immobilized avidin. The mixture was analyzed by capillary reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) online with ion trap mass spectrometry (MS) as well as Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) MS. The resulting spectra contain numerous pairs of Cyspolypeptides whose mass difference corresponds to the number of nitrogen atoms present in each of the peptides. Designation of Cys-polypeptide pairs is also facilitated by the distinctive isotopic distribution of the 15N-labeled peptides versus their 14N-labeled counterparts. Studies with mouse B16 cells maintained in culture allowed the observation of hundreds of isotopically distinct pairs of peptides by LC-FTICR analysis. The ratios of the areas of the pairs of isotopically distinct peptides showed the expected 1:1 labeling of the 14N and 15N versions of each peptide. An additional benefit from the present strategy is that the 15N-labeled peptides do not display significant isotope-dependent chromatographic shifts from their 14N-labeled counterparts, therefore improving the precision for quantitating peptide abundances. The methodology presented offers an alternate, cost-effective strategy for conducting global, quantitative proteomic measurements.

Animals↗

Quantitative profiling of the membrane proteome in a halophilic archaeon.

We present a large scale quantitation study of the membrane proteome from Halobacterium salinarum. To overcome problems generally encountered with membrane proteins, we established a membrane preparation protocol that allows the application of most proteomic techniques originally developed for soluble proteins. Proteins were quantified using two complementary approaches. For gel-based quantitation, DIGE labeling was combined with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis on an improved 16-benzyldimethyl-n-hexadecylammonium chloride/SDS system. MS-based quantitation was carried out by combining gel-free separation with the recently developed isotope-coded protein labeling technique. Good correlations between these two independent quantitation strategies were obtained. From computational analysis we conclude that labeling of free amino groups by isotope-coded protein labeling (Lys and free N termini) is better suited for membrane proteins than Cys-based labeling strategies but that quantitation of integral membrane proteins remains cumbersome compared with soluble proteins. Nevertheless we could quantify 155 membrane proteins; 101 of these had transmembrane domains. We compared two growth states that strongly affect the energy supply of the cells: aerobic versus anaerobic/phototrophic conditions. The photosynthetic protein bacteriorhodopsin is the most highly regulated protein. As expected, several other membrane proteins involved in aerobic or anaerobic energy metabolism were found to be regulated, but in total, however, the number of regulated proteins is rather small.

Cell Membrane↗

Pre-extraction sample handling by automated frozen disruption significantly improves subsequent proteomic analyses.

Here we quantitatively characterize two common homogenization strategies in the analysis of tissue proteomes: classical manual homogenization (MH) and an automated frozen disruption (AFD) technique. In a variety of tissues, many proteins were more efficiently extracted, resolved and detected, with high reproducibility after AFD, amounting to as much as 2% of the total resolved proteome. The benefits of AFD over MH are 2-fold: (1) AFD yields a much more thorough homogenate than MH; and (2) as a deep frozen alternative, AFD maintains a level of biological complexity that is not retained during MH. Thus, AFD coupled with refined 2DE protocols and Sypro Ruby staining yields quantitative proteomic analyses.

Animals↗

Discovering disease-associated enzymes by proteome reactivity profiling.

Proteomics aims to identify new markers and targets for the diagnosis and treatment of human disease. To realize this goal, methods and reagents are needed to profile proteins based on their functional properties, rather than mere abundance. Here, we describe a general strategy for synthesizing and evaluating structurally diverse libraries of activity-based proteomic probes. Quantitative screening of probe-proteome reactions coupled with bioinformatic analysis enabled the selection of a suite of probes that exhibit complementary protein reactivity profiles. This optimal probe set was applied to discover several enzyme activities differentially expressed in lean and obese (ob/ob) mice. Interestingly, one of these enzymes, hydroxypyruvate reductase, which was 6-fold upregulated in ob/ob livers, participates in the conversion of serine to glucose, suggesting that this unusual metabolic pathway may contribute to gluconeogenesis selectively in states of obesity.

Acetamides↗

Phosphoprotein isotope-coded affinity tag approach for isolating and quantitating phosphopeptides in proteome-wide analyses.

A method has been developed that utilizes phosphoprotein isotope-coded affinity tags (PhIAT) that combines stable isotope and biotin labeling to enrich and quantitatively measure differences in the O-phosphorylation states of proteins. The PhIAT labeling approach involves hydroxide ion-mediated beta-elimination of the O-phosphate moiety and the addition of 1,2-ethanedithiol containing either four alkyl hydrogens (EDT-D0) or four alkyl deuteriums (EDT-D4) followed by biotinylation of the EDT-D0/D4 moiety using (+)-biotinyl-iodoacetamidyl-3,6-dioxaoctanediamine. The PhIAT reagent, which contains the nucleophilic sulfhydryl and isotopic label covalently linked to a biotin moiety, was synthesized and has the potential utility to reduce the O-phosphorylation derivatization into a one-step process. The PhIAT labeling approach was initially demonstrated using the model phosphoprotein beta-casein. After proteolytic digestion, the PhIAT-labeled peptides were affinity isolated using immobilized avidin and analyzed using capillary reversed-phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. PhIAT-labeled beta-casein peptides corresponding to peptides containing known sites of O-phosphorylation were isolated and identified. The PhIAT labeling method was also applied to a yeast protein extract. The PhIAT labeling technique provides a reliable method for making quantitative measurements of differences in the O-phosphorylation state of proteins.

Affinity Labels↗

Circadian-rhythm-based dynamics of the secretome in molecular subtypes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) lacks a reliable diagnostic biomarker, largely due to its asymptomatic onset and frequent late-stage detection, resulting in a poor 5-year survival rate. Identifying biomarkers for timely diagnosis is critical. Cancer cells display distinct protein regulation changes that drive disease hallmarks, and characterizing these across PDAC subtypes may provide insights into disease progression. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this study, a label-free quantitative (LFQ) proteomics approach using mass spectrometry (MS) was employed to profile circadian rhythm-regulated proteins in the secretome of PDAC cell lines. RESULTS: LFQ analysis revealed rhythmic protein regulation patterns, reflecting temporal control of biological processes in PDAC. Upregulated pathways included signal transduction, glycolysis, angiogenesis, and protein synthesis, indicating enhanced metabolic and proliferative activity. Downregulated immune pathways suggested potential immune modulation. Comparative analysis revealed subtype-specific patterns: the quasi-mesenchymal subtype exhibited higher levels of metabolic and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling proteins, while the classical subtype showed higher levels of ECM-degrading proteins, consistent with known phenotypic differences. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight rhythmically regulated proteins as potential subtype-specific markers in PDAC and provide a basis for future validation studies. Mass spectrometry proteomics data are available via the ProteomeXchange Consortium (PRIDE: PXD054693).

Humans↗

Proteomic discovery analysis of quantitatively assessed emphysema in the general population. The MESA Lung Study.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary emphysema occurs frequently in older adults, often without airflow limitation. Its presence predicts symptoms, respiratory hospitalizations and deaths, and all-cause mortality. Proteomics may provide further insights into emphysema pathogenesis and inform therapeutic targets. OBJECTIVE: We performed a proteomic discovery analysis of percent emphysema on computed tomography (CT) in a population-based, multiethnic sample from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Lung Study. Replication was performed in two chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-based studies, the SubPopulations and InteRmediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS) and the Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (COPDGene) Study. METHODS: MESA recruited participants from the general population in 2000-02. The MESA Lung Study performed full-lung CT scans in 2010-12. Percent emphysema was defined as the percentage of lung voxels&#x2009;<&#x2009;-950 Hounsfield units. Over 7,200 plasma aptamers were measured via SomaScan. Cross-sectional linear and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression models were adjusted for demographics, anthropometrics, smoking, renal function, and scanner parameters. Statistical significance was defined as a false discovery rate p-value&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05. Gene Ontology (GO)/Reactome enrichment analyses were performed. LASSO-selected proteins' predictive performance was evaluated. RESULTS: Among 2,504 participants in the MESA Lung Study, mean age was 69.4&#xa0;years, 1,291 had ever smoked, and median percent emphysema-like lung was 1.4%. In total, 1,234 aptamers were significantly associated with percent emphysema in the MESA Lung Study, and 35 replicated in the SPIROMICS and COPDGene Studies. Novel associations included protein family with sequence similarity (FAM) 177A1, syntenin-2, ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 25, and uncharacterized protein C20orf173. Previously identified emphysema-associated proteins included soluble advanced glycosylation end product-specific receptor (sRAGE), protein S100-A12, high mobility group protein B1, and roundabout homolog 2. Enrichment analyses identified 40 GO biological processes, including chemokine production and regulation and cell-cell adhesion and regulation, and two Reactome pathways, including RAGE signaling. In tenfold cross-validation, novel proteins were largely retained by LASSO (R2&#x2009;=&#x2009;5.4%), improved overall model performance (R2&#x2009;=&#x2009;24.8%), and uniquely explained greater variance in percent emphysema. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis in a general population sample identified novel and previously characterized proteins whose functional roles were validated by GO/Reactome enriched pathways, offering new insights into emphysema pathophysiology and therapeutics.

Humans↗

Quantify this! Report on a round table discussion on quantitative mass spectrometry in proteomics.

Following the success of the first round table in 2001, the Swiss Proteomic Society has organized two additional specific events during its last two meetings: a proteomic application exercise in 2002 and a round table in 2003. Such events have as their main objective to bring together, around a challenging topic in mass spectrometry, two groups of specialists, those who develop and commercialize mass spectrometry equipment and software, and expert MS users for peptidomics and proteomics studies. The first round table (Geneva, 2001) entitled "Challenges in Mass Spectrometry" was supported by brief oral presentations that stressed critical questions in the field of MS development or applications (Stöcklin and Binz, Proteomics 2002, 2, 825-827). Topics such as (i) direct analysis of complex biological samples, (ii) status and perspectives for MS investigations of noncovalent peptide-ligant interactions; (iii) is it more appropriate to have complementary instruments rather than a universal equipment, (iv) standardization and improvement of the MS signals for protein identification, (v) what would be the new generation of equipment and finally (vi) how to keep hardware and software adapted to MS up-to-date and accessible to all. For the SPS'02 meeting (Lausanne, 2002), a full session alternative event "Proteomic Application Exercise" was proposed. Two different samples were prepared and sent to the different participants: 100 micro g of snake venom (a complex mixture of peptides and proteins) and 10-20 micro g of almost pure recombinant polypeptide derived from the shrimp Penaeus vannamei carrying an heterogeneous post-translational modification (PTM). Among the 15 participants that received the samples blind, eight returned results and most of them were asked to present their results emphasizing the strategy, the manpower and the instrumentation used during the congress (Binz et. al., Proteomics 2003, 3, 1562-1566). It appeared that for the snake venom extract, the quality of the results was not particularly dependant on the strategy used, as all approaches allowed Lication of identification of a certain number of protein families. The genus of the snake was identified in most cases, but the species was ambiguous. Surprisingly, the precise identification of the recombinant almost pure polypeptides appeared to be much more complicated than expected as only one group reported the full sequence. Finally the SPS'03 meeting reported here included a round table on the difficult and challenging task of "Quantification by Mass Spectrometry", a discussion sustained by four selected oral presentations on the use of stable isotopes, electrospray ionization versus matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization approaches to quantify peptides and proteins in biological fluids, the handling of differential two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry data resulting from high throughput experiments, and the quantitative analysis of PTMs. During these three events at the SPS meetings, the impressive quality and quantity of exchanges between the developers and providers of mass spectrometry equipment and software, expert users and the audience, were a key element for the success of these fruitful events and will have definitively paved the way for future round tables and challenging exercises at SPS meetings.

Animals↗

Nucleolar proteome dynamics.

The nucleolus is a key organelle that coordinates the synthesis and assembly of ribosomal subunits and forms in the nucleus around the repeated ribosomal gene clusters. Because the production of ribosomes is a major metabolic activity, the function of the nucleolus is tightly linked to cell growth and proliferation, and recent data suggest that the nucleolus also plays an important role in cell-cycle regulation, senescence and stress responses. Here, using mass-spectrometry-based organellar proteomics and stable isotope labelling, we perform a quantitative analysis of the proteome of human nucleoli. In vivo fluorescent imaging techniques are directly compared to endogenous protein changes measured by proteomics. We characterize the flux of 489 endogenous nucleolar proteins in response to three different metabolic inhibitors that each affect nucleolar morphology. Proteins that are stably associated, such as RNA polymerase I subunits and small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle complexes, exit from or accumulate in the nucleolus with similar kinetics, whereas protein components of the large and small ribosomal subunits leave the nucleolus with markedly different kinetics. The data establish a quantitative proteomic approach for the temporal characterization of protein flux through cellular organelles and demonstrate that the nucleolar proteome changes significantly over time in response to changes in cellular growth conditions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗