Database search algorithms are the primary workhorses for the identification of tandem mass spectra. However, these methods are limited to the identification of spectra for which peptides are present in the database, preventing the identification of peptides from mutated or alternatively spliced sequences. A variety of methods has been developed to search a spectrum against a sequence allowing for variations. Some tools determine the sequence of the homologous protein in the related species but do not report the peptide in the target organism. Other tools consider variations, including modifications and mutations, in reconstructing the target sequence. However, these tools will not work if the template (homologous peptide) is missing in the database, and they do not attempt to reconstruct the entire protein target sequence. De novo identification of peptide sequences is another possibility, because it does not require a protein database. However, the lack of database reduces the accuracy. We present a novel proteogenomic approach, GenoMS, that draws on the strengths of database and de novo peptide identification methods. Protein sequence templates (i.e. proteins or genomic sequences that are similar to the target protein) are identified using the database search tool InsPecT. The templates are then used to recruit, align, and de novo sequence regions of the target protein that have diverged from the database or are missing. We used GenoMS to reconstruct the full sequence of an antibody by using spectra acquired from multiple digests using different proteases. Antibodies are a prime example of proteins that confound standard database identification techniques. The mature antibody genes result from large-scale genome rearrangements with flexible fusion boundaries and somatic hypermutation. Using GenoMS we automatically reconstruct the complete sequences of two immunoglobulin chains with accuracy greater than 98% using a diverged protein database. Using the genome as the template, we achieve accuracy exceeding 97%. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics 9: 1260 -1270, 2010.Database search algorithms, such as Sequest (1), Mascot (2), and InsPecT (3), are the primary workhorses for the identification of tandem mass spectra. However, these methods are limited to the identification of spectra for which peptides are present in the database. It is well recognized that curated protein databases are, at best, an imperfect template for the extant peptides. For example, peptides arising from novel splice forms or fusion proteins would be difficult to identify using most protein databases.Recent developments have extended the identifications to peptides that have diverged from the database entry. By allowing divergence, the methods enable the identification of small-scale mutations, and post-translational modifications, albeit with some loss of sensitivity (4 -7). Among these tools, MS-Blast is able to determine a homologous protein in the related species but does not report the (diverged) protein in the target organism. The other t...