Optimal proteomic analysis of human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) requires depletion of high-abundance proteins to facilitate observation of low-abundance proteins. The performance of two immunodepletion (MARS, Agilent Technologies and ProteoSeek, Pierce Biotechnology) and one ultrafiltration (50 kDa molecular weight cutoff filter, Millipore Corporation) methods for depletion of abundant CSF proteins were compared using a graphical method to access the depth of analysis using "marker proteins" with known normal concentration ranges. Two-dimensional LC/MS/MS analysis of each depleted sample yielded 171 and 163 unique protein identifications using the MARS and ProteoSeek immunodepletion methods, respectively, while only 46 unique proteins were identified using a 50 kDa molecular weight cutoff filter. The relative abundance of the identified proteins was estimated using total spectrum counting and compared to the concentrations of 45 known proteins in CSF as markers of the analysis depth. Results of this work suggest a clear need for methodology designed specifically for depletion of high-abundance proteins in CSF, as depletion methods designed to deplete high-abundance serum proteins showed little improvement in analysis depth compared to analysis without depletion. The marker protein method should be generally useful for assessing depth of analysis in the comparison of proteomic analysis methods.

Metastable and collision-induced decompositions of mass-selected {ROH} n {H 2 O}H + cluster ions (where R ≡ CH 3 -, CH 3 CH 2 -, CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 -, and (CH 3 ) 2 CH -) were observed to exhibit distinct size-dependent behavior. We observe that loss of a water molecule is dominant for n e 8, whereas loss of multiple ROH molecules is the favored decomposition channel for n g 9, resulting in the eventual formation of a stable {ROH} 9 -{H 2 O}H + cluster ion. We believe this is evidence for two distinct cluster geometries which explicitly depend on the number of ROH molecules present. That is, below a certain critical size the proton resides on the molecule with the highest proton affinity, the ROH. However, above that critical cluster size the proton will now preferentially reside on the water molecule, if there are sufficient alcohols to completely and symmetrically solvate the central H 3 O + . The structural implications of these results will be discussed in light of new theoretical calculations which have been performed on this system.

Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF-2K) is an atypical protein kinase regulated by Ca2+ and calmodulin (CaM). Its only known substrate is eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF-2), whose phosphorylation by eEF-2K impedes global protein synthesis. To date, the mechanism of eEF-2K autophosphorylation has not been fully elucidated. To investigate the mechanism of autophosphorylation, human eEF-2K was co-expressed with λ-phosphatase, and purified from bacteria in a three-step protocol using a calmodulin-affinity column. Purified eEF-2K was induced to autophosphorylate by incubation with Ca2+/CaM in the presence of MgATP. Analyzing tryptic or chymotryptic peptides by mass spectrometry monitored the autophosphorylation over 0–180 minutes. The following five major autophosphorylation sites were identified, Thr-348, Thr-353, Ser-445, Ser-474 and Ser-500. In the presence of Ca2+/CaM, robust phosphorylation of Thr-348 occurs within seconds of adding MgATP. Mutagenesis studies suggest that phosphorylation of Thr-348 is required for substrate (eEF-2 or a peptide substrate) phosphorylation, but not self-phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of Ser-500 lags behind the phosphorylation of Thr-348, and is associated with calcium-independent activity of eEF-2K. Mutation of Ser-500 to Asp, but not Ala, renders eEF-2K calcium-independent. Surprisingly, this calcium-independent activity requires the presence of calmodulin.

Shotgun proteomic analysis usually employs multidimensional separations with the first dimension most commonly being strong cation exchange (SCX) liquid chromatography (LC). SCX-LC is necessarily a serial process for preparation of multiple samples. Here we apply a newly available tool, off-gel electrophoresis (OGE), for first dimension separation of peptide mixtures from digests of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a complex and low total protein-containing sample. OGE first dimension fractionation enabled identification of a total of 156 unique proteins compared to 115 identified in previous work using first dimension SCX fractionation. OGE can be used to process multiple samples unattended with easy retrieval of the separated fractions. Thus shotgun analysis using OGE as the first dimension separation offers a significant advantage both in terms of sample throughput as well as increased numbers of identified proteins.

Edited by Gianni CesareniKeywords: Exocytosis Immunoprecipitation Mass spectrometry Protein-protein interaction Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor Synaptic vesicle a b s t r a c tIn every synapse, a large number of proteins interact with other proteins in order to carry out signaling and transmission in the central nervous system. In this study, we used interaction proteomics to identify novel synaptic protein interactions in mouse cortical membranes under native conditions. Using immunoprecipitation, immunoblotting, and mass spectrometry, we identified a number of novel synaptic protein interactions involving soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs), calcium-activated potassium channel (BK Ca ) alpha subunits, and dynamin-1. These novel interactions offer valuable insight into the protein-protein interaction network in intact synapses that could advance understanding of vesicle trafficking, release, and recycling. Structured summary:MINT-7543319: Snap-25 (uniprotkb:P60879) physically interacts (MI:0914) with Tubulin beta-5 chain (uniprotkb:P99024), V-type proton ATPase subunit d 1 (uniprotkb:P51863), Zinc finger homeobox protein 3 (uniprotkb:Q61329), Tubulin beta-2A chain (uniprotkb:Q7TMM9), Synaptophysin (uniprotkb:Q62277), Gapdh (uniprotkb:P16858), Basement membrane-specific heparan sulfate proteoglycan core protein (uniprotkb:Q05793), Tubulin alpha-4A chain (uniprotkb:P68368), Tubulin alpha-1A chain (uniprotkb:P68369), Microtubule-associated protein 6 (uniprotkb:Q7TSJ2), AP-2 complex subunit beta (uniprotkb:Q9DBG3), Phosphofurin acidic cluster sorting protein 1 (uniprotkb:Q8K212), AP-2 complex subunit alpha-1 (uniprotkb:P17426), Kinesin-1 heavy chain (uniprotkb:Q617r68), Kinesin heavy chain isoform 5C (uniprotkb:P28738), Sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase subunit alpha-1 (uniprotkb:Q8VDN2) and Nck-associated protein 1 (uniprotkb:P28660) by anti bait co-immunoprecipitation (MI:0006) MINT-7543636: Calcium-activated potassium channel subunit alpha-1 (uniprotkb:Q08460) physically interacts (MI:0914) with AMP deaminase 2 (uniprotkb:Q9DBT5), Gamma-tubulin complex component 4 (uniprotkb:Q9D4F8), Gamma-tubulin complex component 2 (uniprotkb:Q921G8), Sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase subunit alpha-1 (uniprotkb:Q8VDN2), Phosphoinositide 3-kinase regulatory subunit 4 (uniprotkb:Q8VD65), Beta-centractin (uniprotkb:Q8R5C5), KIAA1107 (uniprotkb:Q80TK0), Sodium/ potassium-transporting ATPase subunit alpha-2 (uniprotkb:Q6PIE5), Sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase subunit alpha-3 (uniprotkb:Q6PIC6), Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 3 (uniprotkb:Q6PF93), KH domain-containing, RNA-binding, signal transduction-associated protein 1 (uniprotkb:Q60749), Tubulin gamma-1 chain (uniprotkb:P83887), Heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein (uniprotkb:P63017), Alpha-centractin (uniprotkb:P61164), Gamma-tubulin complex component 3 (uniprotkb:P58854), Dynamin-1 (uniprotkb:P39053), Kinesin heavy chain isoform 5C (uniprotkb:P28738), Elongation facto...