Click-MS: Tagless Protein Enrichment Using Bioorthogonal Chemistry for Quantitative Proteomics

ACS Chem Biol. 2016 Dec 16;11(12):3245-3250. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.6b00520. Epub 2016 Oct 17.

Abstract

Epitope-tagging is an effective tool to facilitate protein enrichment from crude cell extracts. Traditionally, N- or C-terminal fused tags are employed, which, however, can perturb protein function. Unnatural amino acids (UAAs) harboring small reactive handles can be site-specifically incorporated into proteins, thus serving as a potential alternative for conventional protein tags. Here, we introduce Click-MS, which combines the power of site-specific UAA incorporation, bioorthogonal chemistry, and quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics to specifically enrich a single protein of interest from crude mammalian cell extracts. By genetic encoding of p-azido-l-phenylalanine, the protein of interest can be selectively captured using copper-free click chemistry. We use Click-MS to enrich proteins that function in different cellular compartments, and we identify protein-protein interactions, showing the great potential of Click-MS for interaction proteomics workflows.

Publication types

  • Letter
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Azides / chemistry*
  • Click Chemistry / methods*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Phenylalanine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Phenylalanine / chemistry
  • Phenylalanine / genetics
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor / chemistry
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor / genetics
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • Azides
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • MBD3 protein, human
  • STAT1 Transcription Factor
  • 4-azidophenylalanine
  • Phenylalanine