Continuous free-flow electrophoresis separation of cytosolic proteins from the human colon carcinoma cell line LIM 1215: a non two-dimensional gel electrophoresis-based proteome analysis strategy.

The conventional approach for analyzing the protein complement of a genome involves the combination of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometric based protein identification technologies. While 2-DE is a powerful separation technique, it is severely limited by the insolubility of certain classes of proteins (e.g. hydrophobic membrane proteins), as well as the amount of protein that can be processed. Here, we describe a simple procedure for resolving complex mixtures of proteins that involves a combination of free flow electrophoresis (FFE), a liquid-based isoelectric focussing (IEF) method, and sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Resolved proteins were identified by peptide fragment sequencing using capillary column reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC)/mass spectrometry (MS). An initial demonstration of the method was performed using digitonin/ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid EDTA extracted cytosolic proteins from the human colon carcinoma cell line, LIM 1215. Cytosolic proteins were separated by liquid-based IEF (pH range 3-10) into 96 fractions, and each FFE fraction was further fractionated by SDS-PAGE. Selected protein bands were excised from the SDS-PAGE gel, digested in situ with trypsin, and subsequently identified by on-line RP-HPLC/electrospray-ionization ion trap MS. Our results indicate that FFE is: (i) an extremely powerful liquid-based IEF method for resolving proteins; (ii) not limited by the amount of sample that can be loaded onto the instrument; and (iii) capable of fractionating intact protein complexes (a potentially powerful tool for cell-mapping proteomics). An up-to-date list of cytosolic proteins from the human colorectal carcinoma cell line LIM 1215 can be found in the Joint Protein Structure Laboratory (JPSL) proteome database. This information will provide an invaluable resource for future proteomics-based biological studies of colon cancer. The JPSL proteome database can be accessed through the World Wide Web (WWW) network (http://www.ludwig.edu.au/jpsl/jpslhome.html).

Proteomic analysis of the human colon carcinoma cell line (LIM 1215): development of a membrane protein database.

The proteomic definition of plasma membrane proteins is an important initial step in searching for novel tumor marker proteins expressed during the different stages of cancer progression. However, due to the charge heterogeneity and poor solubility of membrane-associated proteins this subsection of the cell's proteome is often refractory to two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), the current paradigm technology for studying protein expression profiles. Here, we describe a non-2-DE method for identifying membrane proteins. Proteins from an enriched membrane preparation of the human colorectal carcinoma cell line LIM1215 were initially fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE, 4-20%). The unstained gel was cut into 16 x 3 mm slices, and peptide mixtures resulting from in-gel tryptic digestion of each slice were individually subjected to capillary-column reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled with electrospray ionization-ion trap-mass spectrometry (ESI-IT-MS). Interrogation of genomic databases with the resulting collision-induced dissociation (CID) generated peptide ion fragment data was used to identify the proteins in each gel slice. Over 284 proteins (including 92 membrane proteins) were identified, including many integral membrane proteins not previously identified by 2-DE, many proteins seen at the genomic level only, as well as several proteins identified by expressed sequence tags (ESTs) only. Additionally, a number of peptides, identified by de novo MS sequence analysis, have not been described in the databases. Further, a "targeted" ion approach was used to unambiguously identify known low-abundance plasma membrane proteins, using the membrane-associated A33 antigen, a gastrointestinal-specific epithelial cell protein, as an example. Following localization of the A33 antigen in the gel by immunoblotting, ions corresponding to the theoretical A33 antigen tryptic peptide masses were selected using an "inclusion" mass list for automated sequence analysis. Six peptides corresponding to the A33 antigen, present at levels well below those accessible using the standard automated "nontargeted" approach, were identified. The membrane protein database may be accessed via the World Wide Web (WWW) at http://www.ludwig. edu.au/jpsl/jpslhome.html.

Disulfide bond structure and N-glycosylation sites of the extracellular domain of the human interleukin-6 receptor.

The high affinity interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor is a hexameric complex consisting of two molecules each of IL-6, IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), and the high affinity converter and signaling molecule, gp130. The extracellular "soluble" part of the IL-6R (sIL-6R) consists of three domains: an amino-terminal Ig-like domain and two fibronectin-type III (FN III) domains. The two FN III domains comprise the cytokine-binding domain defined by a set of 4 conserved cysteine residues and a WSXWS sequence motif. Here, we have determined the disulfide structure of the human sIL-6R by peptide mapping in the absence and presence of reducing agent. Mass spectrometric analysis of these peptides revealed four disulfide bonds and two free cysteines. The disulfides Cys102-Cys113 and Cys146-Cys157 are consistent with known cytokine-binding domain motifs, and Cys28-Cys77 with known Ig superfamily domains. An unusual cysteine connectivity between Cys6-Cys174, which links the Ig-like and NH2-terminal FN III domains causing them to fold back onto each other, has not previously been observed among cytokine receptors. The two free cysteines (Cys192 and Cys258) were detected as cysteinyl-cysteines, although a small proportion of Cys258 was reactive with the alkylating agent 4-vinylpyridine. Of the four potential N-glycosylation sites, carbohydrate moieties were identified on Asn36, Asn74, and Asn202, but not on Asn226.

Two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of mixed lineage kinase 2 N-terminal domain binding proteins.

The mixed lineage kinase 2 (MLK2) protein contains several structurally distinct domains including an src homology (SH) 3 domain, a kinase catalytic domain, two leucine zippers, a basic motif and a cdc42/rac interactive binding motif. These domains have been recognized mainly for their involvement in protein-protein interactions in signal transduction networks. The SH3 domain in particular has been implicated in control of signaling events. To identify proteins that interact with MLK2, the N-terminal 100 amino acids, including the SH3 domain, were expressed as a glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein. This fusion protein (MLK2N) was used as an affinity ligand to isolate binding proteins from lysates of 35S-radiolabeled MDA-MB231 breast carcinoma cells. When the radiolabeled binding proteins were subjected to 2-DE, proteins of Mr 55,000, 31,500 and 34,000 bound consistently to the MLK2N domain fusion protein, but not to the GST control. Two of the binding proteins were isolated from whole cell lysates by preparative 2-DE and subjected to in-gel digestion and capillary or microbore reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Resultant peptides were analyzed by peptide mass fingerprinting, N-terminal Edman degradation or tandem mass spectrometry. The 55,000 protein was identified as the cytoskeletal protein, beta-tubulin, and this was verified by immunoblotting of proteins in the MLK2N binding fraction with anti-tubulin antibodies. The 31,500 protein has been identified as prohibitin, a protein that has been implicated in both signal transduction and cell cycle arrest.

Two-dimensional gel database of human breast carcinoma cell expressed proteins: an update.

Previously, we reported a two-dimensional gel map and database with molecular weight/isoelectric point (Mr/pI) loci for 22 proteins expressed in the breast carcinoma cell line, MDA-MB231 (Rasmussen et al., Electrophoresis 1997, 18, 588-598). Here we update this database with Mr/pI loci for a further nine cytoplasmic proteins and three Triton X-114 solubilised membrane proteins from MDA-MB231 cells. In addition, a novel protein, previously represented only in expressed sequence tag (EST) databases, has been identified as a Triton X-114 soluble protein and assigned an Mr/pI locus. During the course of isolating proteins from the Triton X-114 fraction, we compared recoveries of proteins in sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gels after isoelectric focusing (IEF) using either immobilised pH gradients or carrier ampholytes. In these experiments, a significantly higher proportion of membrane proteins were visible in SDS-polyacrylamide gels after the use of carrier ampholytes for the first dimension. We also report our mass spectrometric-based procedure for identifying two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) gel-resolved proteins, combining in-gel enzymatic digestion, 0.2 mm internal diameter (ID) capillary column reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) peptide mapping and electrospray ionisation--ion trap--mass spectrometry.

Characterization of rat brain stathmin isoforms by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis-matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization and electrospray ionization-ion trap mass spectrometry.

Stathmin is a regulatory phosphoprotein that is a target for both cell cycle and cell surface receptor-regulated phosphorylation events. There are at least 14 isoforms of stathmin that migrate on two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE): two unphosphorylated, and 12 increasingly phosphorylated proteins. Following extracellular stimuli, stathmin is phosphorylated on four serines (Ser16, Ser25, Ser38, and Ser63) by several kinases, such as mitogen-activated protein (MAP), cdc2 kinase, protein kinase A, and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase-Gr. While all forms of stathmin are derived from the same protein encoded by a single mRNA, the precise nature of the post-translational modifications has not been clear. In this study we have characterized three rat brain stathmin isoforms, #1, #3 and #4, which electrophorese on 2-DE with apparent molecular weight (Mr)/isoelectric point (pI) values of 15,500/6.2, 15,000/6.1, and 15,000/6.0, respectively. The phosphorylation status of these isoforms was determined using a combination of peptide mapping, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and electrospray-ionization ion trap mass spectrometry. Stathmin isoform #1 was not phosphorylated, stathmin isoform #3 was phosphorylated on Ser38 only, and stathmin isoform #4 was phosphorylated on Ser38; however, the phosphorylation status of Ser63 could not be determined. In addition, three proteins which electrophorese near stathmin were identified in order to more accurately define the Mr/pI locus of this region of the 2-DE gel map. These include: phosphatidyl ethanolamine binding protein (Mr approximately 18,000/pI 6.0), synuclein forms 2 and 3 (Mr approximately 14,000/pI 5.4), and synuclein form 2 (Mr approximately 15,000/pI 5.0).

Fabrication of stable packed capillary reversed-phase columns for protein structural analysis.

Capillary column (< or = 320-micron ID) liquid chromatography is an essential tool for the separation and concentration of low-picomole amounts of proteins and peptides for mass-spectrometric based structural analysis. We describe a detailed procedure for the fabrication of stable and efficient 50- to 180-micron ID polyimide fused-silica columns. Columns were packed by conventional slurry packing with reversed-phase silica-based supports followed by column bed consolidation with acetonitrile and sonication. PVDF membrane or internal fused-silica particles were employed for column end-frit construction. The ability of these columns to withstand high back pressures (300-400 bar) enabled their use for rapid chromatography (> 3400 cm/hr; i.e., approximately 40 microliters/min for 200-micron ID columns) and the loading of large sample volumes (up to 500 microliters). The accurate low flow rates (0.4-4.0 microliters/min) and precise gradient formation necessary to operate these columns were achieved by a simple modification of conventional HPLC systems [Moritz et al. (1992), J. Chromatogr. 599, 119-130]. Column performance was evaluated for ability to resolve low-fmol amounts of all components of a mixture of PTH-amino acids and to separate peptides for on-line LC/MS analysis of peptide mixtures derived from in situ digestion of 2-DE resolved protein spots.

Two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of human breast carcinoma proteins: mapping of proteins that bind to the SH3 domain of mixed lineage kinase MLK2.

MLK2, a member of the mixed lineage kinase (MLK) family of protein kinases, first reported by Dorow et al. (Eur. J. Biochem. 1993, 213, 701-710), comprises several distinct structural domains including an src homology-3 (SH3) domain, a kinase catalytic domain, a unique domain containing two leucine zipper motifs, a polybasic sequence, and a cdc42/rac interactive binding motif. Each of these domains has been shown in other systems to be associated with a specific type of protein interaction in the regulation of cellular signal transduction. To study the role of MLK2 in recruiting specific substrates, we constructed a recombinant cDNA encoding the N-terminal 100 amino acids of MLK2 (MLK2N), including the SH3 domain (residues 23-77), fused to glutathione S-transferase. This fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified using gluthathione-Sepharose affinity chromatography and employed in an affinity approach to isolate MLK2-SH3 domain binding proteins from lysates of 35S-labelled MDA-MB231 human breast tumour cells. Electrophoretic analysis of bound proteins revealed that two low-abundance proteins with a molecular weights (Mr) of approximately 31,500 and approximately 34,000, bound consistently to the MLK2N protein. To establish accurately the Mt / isoelectric point (pI) loci of these MLK2-SH3 domain binding proteins, a number of abundant proteins in a two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) master gel were identified to serve as triangulation marker points. Proteins were identified by (i) direct Edman degradation following electroblotting onto polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes, (ii) Edman degradation of peptides generated by in-gel proteolysis and fractionation by rapid (approximately 12 min) microbore column (2.1 mm ID) reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), (iii) mass spectrometric methods including peptide-mass fingerprinting and electrospray (ESI)-mass spectrometry (MS)-MS utilizing capillary (0.2-0.3 mm ID) column chromatography, or (iv) immunoblot analysis. Using this information, a preliminary 2-DE protein database for the human breast carcinoma cell line MDA-MB231, comprising 21 identified proteins, has been constructed and can be accessed via the World Wide Web (URL address: http:(/)/ www.ludwig.edu.au/www/jpsl/jpslhome.htm l).

A two-dimensional gel database of human colon carcinoma proteins.

The master two-dimensional gel database of human colon carcinoma cells currently lists cellular proteins from normal crypts and the colorectal cancer cell lines LIM 1863, LIM 1215 and LIM 1899 (Ward et al., Electrophoresis 1990, 11, 883-891; Ji et al., Electrophoresis 1994, 15, 391-405). Updated two-dimensional electrophoretic (2-DE) maps of cellular proteins from LIM 1215 cells, acquired under both nonreducing and reducing conditions, are presented. Fifteen cellular proteins are identified in the reducing 2-DE gel map, and seven in the nonreducing gel map, along with a tabular listing of their M(r)/pI loci and mode of identification. We also include our mass spectrometric based procedures for identifying 2-DE resolved proteins. This procedure relies on a combination of capillary column (0.10-0.32 mm internal diameter) reversed-phase HPLC peptide mapping of in-gel digested proteins, peptide mass fingerprinting, sequence analysis by either collision-induced dissociation or post-source-decay fragmentation, and protein identification using available database search algorithms. These data, and descriptions of the micro-techniques employed in this laboratory for identifying 2-DE resolved proteins can be accessed via the internet URL: http:(/)/www.ludwig.edu.au.

S-pyridylethylation of intact polyacrylamide gels and in situ digestion of electrophoretically separated proteins: a rapid mass spectrometric method for identifying cysteine-containing peptides.

In-gel proteolytic digestion of acrylamide-gel separated proteins is a method widely used for generating peptide fragments for the purpose of identifying proteins by Edman degratation, tandem mass spectrometry, and peptide-mass fingerprinting. However, it is well recognised for disulfide-bonded proteins electrophoresed under reducing conditions that if no precautions are taken to minimise disulfide bond formation during protein digestion or peptide isolation, complex peptide maps can result. Here, we describe an improved method for in-gel protein digestion. It consists of first reducing and S-pyridylethylating Coomassie Brilliant Blue R-250-stained proteins immobilised in the whole gel slab with dithiothreitol and 4-vinylpyridine, excising the individual stained and alkylated proteins, and then digesting them in situ in the gel matrix with trypsin or Achromobacter lyticus protease I. Peptide fragments generated in this manner are extracted from the gel piece and purified to homogeneity by a rapid (< or = 12 min) reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) procedure, based upon conventional silica supports. Recoveries of peptides are increased by S-pyridylethylation of acrylamide-immobilised proteins prior to in-gel digestion. Further, the levels of gel-related contaminants, which otherwise result in suppression of sample signals during electrosprayionisation mass spectrometry, are greatly reduced by the reduction/alkylation step. Additionally, we demonstrate that S-beta-(4-pyridylethyl)-cysteine containing peptides can be readily identified during reversed-phase HPLC by absorbance at 254 nm, and during electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry by the appearance of a characteristic-pyridylethyl fragment ion of 106 Da. The position of cysteine residues in a sequence can be determined as phenylthiohydantoin S-beta-(4-pyridylethyl)-cysteine during Edman degradation, and by tandem mass spectrometry.

Nonreducing two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of human colonic proteins.

Immunochemical detection of proteins with antigenic determinants that are dependent on the native spatial conformation of the protein can often pose problems with conventional two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE). For example, many antigenic determinants are readily destroyed by reducing agents and/or urea, reagents which are critical components of many of the conventional isoelectric focusing and immobilized-pH-gradient (IPG) protocols used in the first electrophoretic dimension. Here we describe the use of commercially available precast 2-DE gels for performing nonreducing/non-urea 2-DE of proteins extracted from the human colon cancer cell line LIM 1215 with 0.3% Triton X-100 that permit the identification of antigens with conformational determinants by immunoblot analysis. Previous, related studies demonstrated the usefulness of peptide-mass fingerprinting for identifying 2-DE resolved proteins. Here we show how partial protein sequence data obtained by rapid peptide mapping, using capillary column liquid chromatography directly coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric methodologies, enhances the usefulness of this approach for identifying incompletely resolved proteins. The nonreducing 2-DE gel images reported in this study, along with our master 2-DE gel protein database for both normal human colonic crypts and several colon-cancer-derived cell lines, and information regarding microtechniques employed in this laboratory for obtaining structural data on 2-DE resolved proteins can be accessed over the Internet using World Wide Web (URL address: http:@www.ludwig.edu.au).