Identification of protein fragments as pattern features in MALDI-MS analyses of serum

J Proteome Res. 2005 Sep-Oct;4(5):1672-80. doi: 10.1021/pr050138m.

Abstract

The use of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) to acquire spectral profiles has become a common approach to detect proteomic biomarkers of disease. MALDI-MS signals may represent both intact proteins as well as proteolysis products. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis can tentatively identify the corresponding proteins Here, we describe the application of a data analysis utility called FragMint, which combines MALDI-MS spectral data with LC-MS/MS based protein identifications to generate candidate protein fragments consistent with both types of data. This approach was used to identify protein fragments corresponding to spectral signals in MALDI-MS analyses of unfractionated human serum. The serum also was analyzed by one-dimensional SDS-PAGE and bands corresponding to the MALDI-MS signal masses were excised and subjected to in-gel digestion and LC-MS/MS analysis. Database searches mapped all of the identified peptides to abundant blood proteins larger than the observed MALDI-MS signals. FragMint identified fragments of these proteins that contained the MS/MS identified sequences and were consistent with the observed MALDI-MS signals. This approach should be generally applicable to identify protein species corresponding to MALDI-MS signals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Blood Proteins / chemistry*
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Colloids / pharmacology
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptide Mapping
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Proteome*
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*

Substances

  • Blood Proteins
  • Colloids
  • Peptides
  • Proteins
  • Proteome