Analysis Of Protein Post-Translational Modifications By Mass Spectrometry

Of the 300 or so Post-translational modifications (PTMs) known, this book sets out to describe mass spectrometry-based methods for the analysis of some of the most well studied. While the identification of PTMs using mass spectrometry has frequently occurred serendipitously as a result of database searching with variable modifications, the book highlights areas where a more focused strategy has successfully been employed, in turn allowing the researcher to answer specific questions in a more sensitive and global manner.

The book begins with an overview of what post-translation modifications are, and how they are analyzed in a global and targeted fashion. Popular scanning functions are described here to prevent repetition in subsequent chapters and the importance of good bioinformatics is presented. Following on from the Introduction are eight chapters, which specialize in individual PTMs. A final experimental chapter discusses top-down strategies to this type of analysis, which includes ion mobility, alternative enzymes and more specialized fragmentation techniques. The book concludes with a chapter that pulls together the previous chapters in a summary and suggests future directions of the field.

John Griffiths is an analytical chemist with 30 years experience in the analysis of a wide range of analytes using mass spectrometry and other techniques. For the past 13 years, John has focused solely on the application of mass spectrometry to the analysis of peptides and proteins – proteomics. John has published multiple papers on biological mass spectrometry and has presented his work at both national and international conferences. John has a particular interest in the analysis of PTMs and has developed a number of strategies, such as the MIDAS with Richard Unwin, to enhance their detection. John is also the director of a mass spectrometry training and consultancy enterprise, MS-Insight Ltd.

Richard Unwin is a biochemist and mass spectrometrist with over 18 years’ experience in the field of proteomics, in particular the quantification and characterization of proteins by mass spectrometry. Richard was among the first to develop the use of iTRAQ technology for protein quantitation and, with John Griffiths, was also amongst the first researchers to begin to realize the potential of multiple reaction monitoring MS for the discovery and characterization of post-translational modifications. Richard has contributed chapters on proteomics methods for a number of textbooks, aimed at both practicing mass spectrometrists and undergraduates, and has authored over 40 papers in the field.