Systems biology relies on data sets in which the same group of proteins is consistently identified and precisely quantified across multiple samples, a requirement that is only partially achieved by current proteomics approaches. Selected reaction monitoring (SRM)-also called multiple reaction monitoring-is emerging as a technology that ideally complements the discovery capabilities of shotgun strategies by its unique potential for reliable quantification of analytes of low abundance in complex mixtures. In an SRM experiment, a predefined precursor ion and one of its fragments are selected by the two mass filters of a triple quadrupole instrument and monitored over time for precise quantification. A series of transitions (precursor/fragment ion pairs) in combination with the retention time of the targeted peptide can constitute a definitive assay. Typically, a large number of peptides are quantified during a single LC-MS experiment. This tutorial explains the application of SRM for quantitative proteomics, including the selection of proteotypic peptides and the optimization and validation of transitions. Furthermore, normalization and various factors affecting sensitivity and accuracy are discussed.

Mass spectrometry based methods for relative proteome quantification have broadly impacted life science research. However, important research directions, particularly those involving mathematical modeling and simulation of biological processes, also critically depend on absolutely quantitative data, i.e. knowledge of the concentration of the expressed proteins as a function of cellular state. Until now, absolute protein concentration measurements of a significant fraction of the proteome (73%) have only been derived from genetically altered S. cerevisiae cells 1, a technique that is not directly portable from yeast to other species. In this study we developed and applied a mass spectrometry based strategy to determine the absolute quantity i.e. the average number of protein copies per cell in a cell population, for a significant fraction of the proteome in genetically unperturbed cells. Applying the technology to the human pathogen Leptospira interrogans, a spirochete responsible for Leptospirosis 4, we generated an absolute protein abundance scale for 83% of the mass spectrometry detectable proteome, from cells at different states. Taking advantage of the unique cellular dimensions of L. interrogans, we used cryo electron tomography (cryoET) morphological measurements to verify at the single cell level the average absolute abundance values of selected proteins determined by mass spectrometry on a population of cells. As the strategy is relatively fast and applicable to any cell type we expect that it will become a cornerstone of quantitative biology and systems biology.

The detection and quantification of plasma (serum) proteins at or below the ng/ml concentration range are of critical importance for the discovery and evaluation of new protein biomarkers. This has been achieved either by the development of high sensitivity ELISA or other immunoassays for specific proteins or by the extensive fractionation of the plasma proteome followed by the mass spectrometric analysis of the resulting fractions. The first approach is limited by the high cost and time investment for assay development and the requirement of a validated target. The second, although reasonably comprehensive and unbiased, is limited by sample throughput. Here we describe a method for the detection of plasma proteins at concentrations in the ng/ml or sub-ng/ml range and their accurate quantification over 5 orders of magnitude. The method is based on the selective isolation of N-glycosites from the plasma proteome and the detection and quantification of targeted peptides in a quadrupole linear ion trap instrument operated in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The unprecedented sensitivity of the mass spectrometric analysis of minimally fractionated plasma samples is the result of the significantly reduced sample complexity of the isolated N-glycosites compared with whole plasma proteome digests and the selectivity of the MRM process. Precise quantification was achieved via stable isotope dilution by adding 13 C-and/or 15 Nlabeled reference analytes. We also demonstrate the possibility of significantly expanding the number of MRM measurements during one single LC-MS run without compromising sensitivity by including elution time constraints for the targeted transitions, thus allowing quantification of large sets of peptides in a single analysis. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics 6:1809 -1817, 2007.The discovery and validation of protein biomarkers for the early detection of disease, for the assessment of a therapy's efficacy and side effects, and for drug development is one of the most active areas of proteomics research. Blood plasma represents a promising source of such markers as it has the advantage of being easily accessible. Plasma is circulating and exchanges analytes with cells and tissues within the entire body. In particular, proteins from dying cells and tumors that are shed, secreted, or otherwise released into the blood stream are expected to provide a "fingerprint" of the actual health status of the patient in general and of specific organs in particular. However, the large volume of fluid accounts for a substantial dilution of the analytes secreted or shed by an organ or a tissue. Low concentrations together with rapid clearance of some of the proteins create major challenges to a proteomics-based biomarker discovery approach that remain unresolved despite recent advances of proteomics technology. More specifically, the detection and quantification of proteins in plasma at concentrations in the ng/ml or sub-ng/ml range, at which meaningful biomarkers can realistically be expected (1), has remai...