Cell Death Proteomics Database: Consolidating Proteomics Data on Cell Death

Programmed cell death is a ubiquitous process of utmost importance for the development and maintenance of multicellular organisms. More than 10 different types of programmed cell death forms have been discovered. Several proteomics analyses have been performed to gain insight in proteins involved in the different forms of programmed cell death. To consolidate these studies, we have developed the cell death proteomics (CDP) database, which comprehends data from apoptosis, autophagy, cytotoxic granule-mediated cell death, excitotoxicity, mitotic catastrophe, paraptosis, pyroptosis, and Wallerian degeneration. The CDP database is available as a web-based database to compare protein identifications and quantitative information across different experimental setups. The proteomics data of 73 publications were integrated and unified with protein annotations from UniProt-KB and gene ontology (GO). Currently, more than 6,500 records of more than 3,700 proteins are included in the CDP. Comparing apoptosis and autophagy using overrepresentation analysis of GO terms, the majority of enriched processes were found in both, but also some clear differences were perceived. Furthermore, the analysis revealed differences and similarities of the proteome between autophagosomal and overall autophagy. The CDP database represents a useful tool to consolidate data from proteome analyses of programmed cell death and is available at http://celldeathproteomics.uio.no

Quantitative Proteome Analysis Reveals RNA Processing Factors As Modulators of Ionizing Radiation-Induced Apoptosis in the <i>C. elegans</i> Germline.

The nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> is an organism most recognized for forward and reverse genetic and functional genomic approaches. Proteomic analyses of DNA damage-induced apoptosis have not been shown because of a limited number of cells undergoing apoptosis. We applied mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics to evaluate protein changes induced by ionizing radiation (IR) in isolated <i>C. elegans</i> germlines. For this purpose, we used isobaric peptide termini labeling (IPTL) combined with the data analysis tool IsobariQ, which utilizes MS/MS spectra for relative quantification of peak pairs formed during fragmentation. Using stringent statistical critera, we identified 48 proteins to be significantly up- or down-regulated, most of which are part of a highly interconnected protein–protein interaction network dominated by proteins involved in translational control. RNA-mediated depletion of a selection of the IR-regulated proteins revealed that the conserved CAR-1/CGH-1/CEY-3 germline RNP complex acts as a novel negative regulator of DNA-damage induced apoptosis. Finally, a central role of nucleolar proteins in orchestrating these responses was confirmed as the H/ACA snRNP protein GAR-1 was required for IR-induced apoptosis in the <i>C. elegans</i> germline

Quantitative Proteome Analysis Reveals RNA Processing Factors As Modulators of Ionizing Radiation-Induced Apoptosis in the <i>C. elegans</i> Germline.

The nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> is an organism most recognized for forward and reverse genetic and functional genomic approaches. Proteomic analyses of DNA damage-induced apoptosis have not been shown because of a limited number of cells undergoing apoptosis. We applied mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics to evaluate protein changes induced by ionizing radiation (IR) in isolated <i>C. elegans</i> germlines. For this purpose, we used isobaric peptide termini labeling (IPTL) combined with the data analysis tool IsobariQ, which utilizes MS/MS spectra for relative quantification of peak pairs formed during fragmentation. Using stringent statistical critera, we identified 48 proteins to be significantly up- or down-regulated, most of which are part of a highly interconnected protein–protein interaction network dominated by proteins involved in translational control. RNA-mediated depletion of a selection of the IR-regulated proteins revealed that the conserved CAR-1/CGH-1/CEY-3 germline RNP complex acts as a novel negative regulator of DNA-damage induced apoptosis. Finally, a central role of nucleolar proteins in orchestrating these responses was confirmed as the H/ACA snRNP protein GAR-1 was required for IR-induced apoptosis in the <i>C. elegans</i> germline

Quantitative Proteome Analysis Reveals RNA Processing Factors As Modulators of Ionizing Radiation-Induced Apoptosis in the <i>C. elegans</i> Germline.

The nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> is an organism most recognized for forward and reverse genetic and functional genomic approaches. Proteomic analyses of DNA damage-induced apoptosis have not been shown because of a limited number of cells undergoing apoptosis. We applied mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics to evaluate protein changes induced by ionizing radiation (IR) in isolated <i>C. elegans</i> germlines. For this purpose, we used isobaric peptide termini labeling (IPTL) combined with the data analysis tool IsobariQ, which utilizes MS/MS spectra for relative quantification of peak pairs formed during fragmentation. Using stringent statistical critera, we identified 48 proteins to be significantly up- or down-regulated, most of which are part of a highly interconnected protein–protein interaction network dominated by proteins involved in translational control. RNA-mediated depletion of a selection of the IR-regulated proteins revealed that the conserved CAR-1/CGH-1/CEY-3 germline RNP complex acts as a novel negative regulator of DNA-damage induced apoptosis. Finally, a central role of nucleolar proteins in orchestrating these responses was confirmed as the H/ACA snRNP protein GAR-1 was required for IR-induced apoptosis in the <i>C. elegans</i> germline

An Approach for Triplex-Isobaric Peptide Termini Labeling (Triplex-IPTL)

Isobaric peptide termini labeling (IPTL) is based on labeling of both peptide termini with complementary isotopic labels resulting in isobaric peptides. MS/MS analysis after IPTL derivatization produces peptide-specific fragment ions which are distributed throughout the MS/MS spectrum. Thus, several quantification points can be obtained per peptide. In this report, we present triplex-IPTL, a chemical labeling strategy for IPTL allowing the simultaneous quantification of three states within one MS run. For this purpose, dimethylation of the N-terminal amino group followed by dimethylation of lysines was used with different stable isotopes of formaldehyde and cyanoborohydride. Upon LC-MS/MS analysis, the combined samples revealed three corresponding isotopic fragment ion series reflecting quantitatively the peptide ratios. To support this multiplexing labeling strategy, we have further developed the data analysis tool IsobariQ and included multidimensional VSN normalization, statistical inference, and graphical visualization of triplex-IPTL data and clustering of protein profiling patterns. The power of the triplex-IPTL approach in combination with IsobariQ was demonstrated through temporal profiling of HeLa cells incubated with the kinesin Eg5 inhibitor S-Trityl-l-cysteine (STLC). As a result, clusters of quantified proteins were found by their ratio profiles which corresponded well to their gene ontology association in mitotic arrest and cell death, respectively

An Approach for Triplex-Isobaric Peptide Termini Labeling (Triplex-IPTL)

Isobaric peptide termini labeling (IPTL) is based on labeling of both peptide termini with complementary isotopic labels resulting in isobaric peptides. MS/MS analysis after IPTL derivatization produces peptide-specific fragment ions which are distributed throughout the MS/MS spectrum. Thus, several quantification points can be obtained per peptide. In this report, we present triplex-IPTL, a chemical labeling strategy for IPTL allowing the simultaneous quantification of three states within one MS run. For this purpose, dimethylation of the N-terminal amino group followed by dimethylation of lysines was used with different stable isotopes of formaldehyde and cyanoborohydride. Upon LC-MS/MS analysis, the combined samples revealed three corresponding isotopic fragment ion series reflecting quantitatively the peptide ratios. To support this multiplexing labeling strategy, we have further developed the data analysis tool IsobariQ and included multidimensional VSN normalization, statistical inference, and graphical visualization of triplex-IPTL data and clustering of protein profiling patterns. The power of the triplex-IPTL approach in combination with IsobariQ was demonstrated through temporal profiling of HeLa cells incubated with the kinesin Eg5 inhibitor S-Trityl-l-cysteine (STLC). As a result, clusters of quantified proteins were found by their ratio profiles which corresponded well to their gene ontology association in mitotic arrest and cell death, respectively

Identification of Alternative Splice Variants Using Unique Tryptic Peptide Sequences for Database Searches

Alternative splicing is a mechanism in eukaryotes by which different forms of mRNAs are generated from the same gene. Identification of alternative splice variants requires the identification of peptides specific for alternative splice forms. For this purpose, we generated a human database that contains only unique tryptic peptides specific for alternative splice forms from Swiss-Prot entries. Using this database allows an easy access to splice variant-specific peptide sequences that match to MS data. Furthermore, we combined this database without alternative splice variant-1-specific peptides with human Swiss-Prot. This combined database can be used as a general database for searching of LC–MS data. LC–MS data derived from in-solution digests of two different cell lines (LNCaP, HeLa) and phosphoproteomics studies were analyzed using these two databases. Several nonalternative splice variant-1-specific peptides were found in both cell lines, and some of them seemed to be cell-line-specific. Control and apoptotic phosphoproteomes from Jurkat T cells revealed several nonalternative splice variant-1-specific peptides, and some of them showed clear quantitative differences between the two states

Identification of Alternative Splice Variants Using Unique Tryptic Peptide Sequences for Database Searches

Alternative splicing is a mechanism in eukaryotes by which different forms of mRNAs are generated from the same gene. Identification of alternative splice variants requires the identification of peptides specific for alternative splice forms. For this purpose, we generated a human database that contains only unique tryptic peptides specific for alternative splice forms from Swiss-Prot entries. Using this database allows an easy access to splice variant-specific peptide sequences that match to MS data. Furthermore, we combined this database without alternative splice variant-1-specific peptides with human Swiss-Prot. This combined database can be used as a general database for searching of LC–MS data. LC–MS data derived from in-solution digests of two different cell lines (LNCaP, HeLa) and phosphoproteomics studies were analyzed using these two databases. Several nonalternative splice variant-1-specific peptides were found in both cell lines, and some of them seemed to be cell-line-specific. Control and apoptotic phosphoproteomes from Jurkat T cells revealed several nonalternative splice variant-1-specific peptides, and some of them showed clear quantitative differences between the two states

Schematic view of the established method to enrich and analyze TG2 peptide substrates.

<p>A PTCEC digest of wheat gluten was mixed with a small amount of 5-BP which served as a substrate for TG2 in a transamidation reaction. The transamidated, biotinylated peptides were enriched from the digest using magnetic streptavidin beads, eluted with an excess of biotin and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Database searching was performed using a database made up of all entries of <i>Triticum aestivum</i> present in the Uniprot database. In addition, MS/MS spectra were manually inspected.</p

TG2 peptide substrates identified by nano-LC MS/MS.

<p>Glutamine residues targeted by TG2 are given in bold.</p><p>DA, deamidation</p><p>The 9mer core region of T-cell epitopes are underlined.</p><p>“x” indicates I or L.</p>a<p>number of protein entries in database.</p>b<p>not possible to determine which Q residue is transamidated (shown in bold and italic).</p>c<p>not possible to determine which Q residue is deamidated and which is transamidated.</p>d<p>not possible to determine whether Q2 or Q4 is targeted; however, this sequence has previously been shown to be targeted at Q4 <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0014056#pone.0014056-Vader2" target="_blank">[17]</a>. The same Q residue is expected to be targeted in peptides #12–17.</p>e<p>identified in a sample incubated with TG2 for one minute.</p>f<p>two possible 9mer binding registers to HLA-DQ2.5.</p