Integrated top-down and bottom-up proteomics mass spectrometry for the characterization of endogenous ribosomal protein heterogeneity / 药物分析学报

ABSTRACT

Ribosomes are abundant,large RNA-protein complexes that are the sites of all protein synthesis in cells.Defects in ribosomal proteins(RPs),including proteoforms arising from genetic variations,alternative splicing of RNA transcripts,post-translational modifications and alterations of protein expression level,have been linked to a diverse range of diseases,including cancer and aging.Comprehensive character-ization of ribosomal proteoforms is challenging but important for the discovery of potential disease biomarkers or protein targets.In the present work,using E.coli 70S RPs as an example,we first developed a top-down proteomics approach on a Waters Synapt G2 Si mass spectrometry(MS)system,and then applied it to the HeLa 80S ribosome.The results were complemented by a bottom-up approach.In total,50 out of 55 RPs were identified using the top-down approach.Among these,more than 30 RPs were found to have their N-terminal methionine removed.Additional modifications such as methylation,acetylation,and hydroxylation were also observed,and the modification sites were identified by bottom-up MS.In a HeLa 80S ribosomal sample,we identified 98 ribosomal proteoforms,among which multiple truncated 80S ribosomal proteoforms were observed,the type of information which is often overlooked by bottom-up experiments.Although their relevance to diseases is not yet known,the integration of top-down and bottom-up proteomics approaches paves the way for the discovery of proteoform-specific disease biomarkers or targets.