Identification of proteolytic products and natural protein N-termini by Terminal Amine Isotopic Labeling of Substrates (TAILS)

Methods Mol Biol. 2011:753:273-87. doi: 10.1007/978-1-61779-148-2_18.

Abstract

Determining the sequence of protein N-termini and their modifications functionally annotates proteins since translation isoforms, posttranslational modifications, and proteolytic truncations direct localization, activity, and the half-life of most proteins. Here we present in detail the steps required to perform our recently described approach we call Terminal Amine Isotopic Labeling of Substrates (TAILS), a combined N-terminomics and protease substrate discovery degradomics platform for the simultaneous quantitative and global analysis of the N-terminome and proteolysis in one MS/MS experiment. By a 3-day procedure with flexible α- and ɛ-amine labeling and blocking options, TAILS removes internal tryptic and C-terminal peptides by binding to a dendritic polyglycerol aldehyde polymer. Therefore, by negative selection, this enriches for both the N-terminal-labeled peptides and all forms of naturally blocked N-terminal peptides. In addition to providing valuable proteome annotation, the simultaneous analysis of the original mature N-terminal peptides enables these peptides to be used for higher confidence protein substrate identification by two or more different and unique peptides. Second, the analysis of the N-terminal peptides forms a statistical classifier to determine valid isotope ratio cutoffs in order to identify with high-confidence protease-generated neo-N-terminal peptides. Third, quantifying the loss of acetylated or cyclized N-terminal peptides that have been cleaved extends overall substrate coverage. Hence, TAILS allows for the global analysis of the N-terminome and determination of cleavage site motifs and substrates for protease including those with unknown or broad specificity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amines / chemistry*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods
  • Computational Biology / methods
  • Databases, Protein
  • Isotope Labeling / methods*
  • Peptide Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proteome / chemistry
  • Proteome / metabolism
  • Proteomics / methods
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods

Substances

  • Amines
  • Proteins
  • Proteome
  • Peptide Hydrolases