PNNL

Abstract

In this study, we report a comprehensive approach for ultrahigh-efficiency separations by liquid chromatography (LC)/tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for broad protein characterization of human plasma. The power of this approach is demonstrated by the confident identification of 1062 human plasma proteins based upon identification of 2992 tryptic peptides using highly conservative SEQUEST search criteria from a non-depleted human plasma sample. The approach provides a dynamic range of ~9 orders of magnitude in protein abundance using conventional ion trap MS/MS, which enabled identification of pg/mL concentration human plasma proteins (e.g. cytokines) co-existing with mg/mL-level human serum albumin. This dynamic range was obtained by combining high-efficiency reversed-phase (RP) LC coupled with efficient pre-fractionation strong cation exchange (SCX) LC to achieve ultrahigh-efficiency separations. A single-dimension, high-efficiency RPLC provided a protein identification dynamic range of 4 orders of magnitude in protein content and identified 433 human plasma proteins; while the ultrahigh-efficiency SCXLC/RPLC (i.e. 15 fractions from SCXLC), with the assistance of the SCXLC-sample component concentration (up to 102 fold), extended the protein identification dynamic range to ~9 orders of magnitude in protein content, identifying 822 human plasma proteins; combination of single- and two-dimension LC/MS/MS led to identification of 1062 human plasma proteins.