Analytical techniques for identification and study of organic matter in returned lunar samples Semiannual report, 1 Oct. 1966 - 31 Mar. 1967

Development of computerized high resolution mass spectrometer and gas-liquid chromatographic facility for study of lunar soil sample

Convenient Labelling Technique for Mass Spectrometry - Acid Catalyzed Deuterium and Oxygen-18 Exchange via Gas-liquid Chromatography

Mass spectrometry labelling technique - acid catalyzed deuterium and oxygen 18 exchange by gas-liquid chromatograph

Application of High Resolution Mass Spectrometry in Molecular Structure Studies

High resolution mass spectrograms of molecular structure

Impact of computer-coupled high resolution mass spectrometry on molecular structure studies

Computer-coupled high resolution mass spectrometry impact on molecular structure studie

High resolution mass spectrometry in molecular structure and stereochemical studies - Effect of stereochemistry on the fragmentation of epimeric derivatives of azabicycloalkanes

High resolution mass spectrometry in studies of stereochemistry effect on fragmentation of epimeric derivatives of azabicycloalkane

Revealing nascent proteomics in signaling pathways and cell differentiation.

Regulation of gene expression at the level of protein synthesis is a crucial element in driving how the genetic landscape is expressed. However, we are still limited in technologies that can quantitatively capture the immediate proteomic changes that allow cells to respond to specific stimuli. Here, we present a method to capture and identify nascent proteomes in situ across different cell types without disturbing normal growth conditions, using O-propargyl-puromycin (OPP). Cell-permeable OPP rapidly labels nascent elongating polypeptides, which are subsequently conjugated to biotin-azide, using click chemistry, and captured with streptavidin beads, followed by digestion and analysis, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Our technique of OPP-mediated identification (OPP-ID) allows detection of widespread proteomic changes within a short 2-hour pulse of OPP. We illustrate our technique by recapitulating alterations of proteomic networks induced by a potent mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor, MLN128. In addition, by employing OPP-ID, we identify more than 2,100 proteins and uncover distinct protein networks underlying early erythroid progenitor and differentiation states not amenable to alternative approaches such as amino acid analog labeling. We present OPP-ID as a method to quantitatively identify nascent proteomes across an array of biological contexts while preserving the subtleties directing signaling in the native cellular environment

Liquid droplet formation by HP1α suggests a role for phase separation in heterochromatin.

Gene silencing by heterochromatin is proposed to occur in part as a result of the ability of heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) proteins to spread across large regions of the genome, compact the underlying chromatin and recruit diverse ligands. Here we identify a new property of the human HP1α protein: the ability to form phase-separated droplets. While unmodified HP1α is soluble, either phosphorylation of its N-terminal extension or DNA binding promotes the formation of phase-separated droplets. Phosphorylation-driven phase separation can be promoted or reversed by specific HP1α ligands. Known components of heterochromatin such as nucleosomes and DNA preferentially partition into the HP1α droplets, but molecules such as the transcription factor TFIIB show no preference. Using a single-molecule DNA curtain assay, we find that both unmodified and phosphorylated HP1α induce rapid compaction of DNA strands into puncta, although with different characteristics. We show by direct protein delivery into mammalian cells that an HP1α mutant incapable of phase separation in vitro forms smaller and fewer nuclear puncta than phosphorylated HP1α. These findings suggest that heterochromatin-mediated gene silencing may occur in part through sequestration of compacted chromatin in phase-separated HP1 droplets, which are dissolved or formed by specific ligands on the basis of nuclear context

Quantitative proteomic analysis of Huh-7 cells infected with Dengue virus by label-free LC–MS

AbstractDengue is an important and growing public health problem worldwide with an estimated 100million new clinical cases annually. Currently, no licensed drug or vaccine is available. During natural infection in humans, liver cells constitute one of the main targets of dengue virus (DENV) replication. However, a clear understanding of dengue pathogenesis remains elusive. In order to gain a better reading of the cross talk between virus and host cell proteins, we used a proteomics approach to analyze the host response to DENV infection in a hepatic cell line Huh-7. Differences in proteome expression were assayed 24h post-infection using label-free LC–MS. Quantitative analysis revealed 155 differentially expressed proteins, 64 of which were up-regulated and 91 down-regulated. These results reveal an important decrease in the expression of enzymes involved in the glycolytic pathway, citrate cycle, and pyruvate metabolism. This study provides large-scale quantitative information regarding protein expression in the early stages of infection that should be useful for better compression of the pathogenesis of dengue.Biological significanceDengue infection involves alterations in the homeostasis of the host cell. Defining the interactions between virus and cell proteins should provide a better understanding of how viruses propagate and cause disease. Here, we present for the first time the proteomic analysis of hepatocytes (Huh-7 cells) infected with DENV-2 by label-free LC–MS.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics, mass spectrometry and peptidomics, Cancun 2013. Guest Editors: César López-Camarillo, Victoria Pando-Robles and Bronwyn Jane Barkla