Simple strategies to enhance discovery of acetylation post-translational modifications by quadrupole-orbitrap LC-MS/MS

Publication date: February 2018 Source:Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Proteins and Proteomics, Volume 1866, Issue 2 Author(s): Andrew J. Manning, Jiyoung Lee, Donald J. Wolfgeher, Stephen J. Kron, Jean T. Greenberg Enzyme-dependent post-translational modifications (PTMs) mediate the cellular regulation of proteins and can be discovered using proteomics. However, even where the peptides of interest can be enriched for analysis with state-of-the-art LC-MS/MS tools and informatics, only a fraction of peptide ions can be identified confidently. Thus, many PTM sites remain undiscovered and unconfirmed. In this minireview, we use a case study to discuss how the use of inclusion lists, turning off isotopic exclusion, and manual validation significantly increased depth of coverage, facilitating discovery of acetylation sites in targets of an acetyltransferase virulence factor. These underutilized strategies have the potential to help answer many mechanistic biological questions that large-scale proteomic studies cannot. Graphical abstract

Source: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) Proteins and Proteomics - November 14, 2017 Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research