PNNL

Abstract

The phosphorylation of any site on a given protein can affect its activity, degradation rate, ability to dock with other proteins or bind divalent cations, and/or its localization. These effects can operate within the same protein; in fact, multisite phosphorylation is a key mechanism for achieving signal integration in cells. Hence, knowing the overall phosphorylation signature of a protein is essential for understanding the "state" of a cell. However, current technologies to monitor the phosphorylation status of proteins are inefficient at determining the relative stoichiometries of phosphorylation at multiple sites. Here we report a new capability for comprehensive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of intact phosphoproteins. The technology platform built upon integrated bottom-up and top-down approach that is facilitated by intact protein reversed-phase (RP)LC concurrently coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) MS and fraction collection.