The proteomes of transcription factories containing RNA polymerases I, II or III

Human nuclei contain three RNA polymerases (I, II and III) that transcribe different groups of genes; the active forms of all three are difficult to isolate because they are bound to the substructure. Here we describe a purification approach for isolating active RNA polymerase complexes from mammalian cells. After isolation, we analyzed their protein content by mass spectrometry. Each complex represents part of the core of a transcription factory. For example, the RNA polymerase II complex contains subunits unique to RNA polymerase II plus various transcription factors but shares a number of ribonucleoproteins with the other polymerase complexes; it is also rich in polymerase II transcripts. We also describe a native chromosome conformation capture method to confirm that the complexes remain attached to the same pairs of DNA templates found in vivo

GOAT--a simple LC-MS/MS gradient optimization tool.

Modern nano-HPLC systems are capable of extremely precise control of solvent gradients, allowing high-resolution separation of peptides. Most proteomics laboratories use a simple linear analytical gradient for nano-LC-MS/MS experiments, though recent evidence indicates that optimized non-linear gradients result in increased peptide and protein identifications from cell lysates. In concurrent work, we examined non-linear gradients for the analysis of samples fractionated at the peptide level, where the distribution of peptide retention times often varies by fraction. We hypothesized that greater coverage of these samples could be achieved using per-fraction optimized gradients. We demonstrate that the optimized gradients improve the distribution of peptides throughout the analysis. Using previous generation MS instrumentation, a considerable gain in peptide and protein identifications can be realized. With current MS platforms that have faster electronics and achieve shorter duty cycle, the improvement in identifications is smaller. Our gradient optimization method has been implemented in a simple graphical tool (GOAT) that is MS-vendor independent, does not require peptide ID input, and is freely available for non-commercial use at http://proteomics.swmed.edu/goat

Modls: Post-translational modification localization scoring with automatic specificity expansion

Probability-based localization scoring of fragment mass-spectrum phosphorylation site identifications has become common practice to confirm search engine modification assignments, and indicate the degree of certainty with which they are defined. Localization of modifications other than phosphorylation is also required but is less commonly supported by current tools. These other modifications, such as hydroxylation, may have broad aminoacid specificity, and can be misassigned when the correct specificity is not considered in an MS database search. In addition, localization software is often specific to a particular MS/MS search engine, and cannot be used to localize modifications identified by multiple search engines. ModLS, a new tool within our freely-available Central Proteomics Facilities Pipeline (CPFP), applies a localization scoring method to arbitrary post-translational modifications (PTMs). As well as localising PTMs based on amino-acid specificities are included in the initial search, ModLS can automatically consider additional specificities from UniMod. This can help avoid 'correct modification, incorrect amino-acid' errors which can occur when data is searched using only a subset of PTM specificities. Localization scoring can be performed on the results from any search engine incorporated within the pipeline, or where the output of individual search engines is combined to give increased coverage. We demonstrate the performance of ModLS using a publicly available phosphorylated peptide dataset, showing that it outperforms the recently characterized Mascot Delta Score approach for CID and MSA data, and is comparable for HCD data. In addition, we show the utility of automatic specificity expansion using hydroxylated and methylated peptide data. ModLS is a user-friendly localization tool for arbitrary modifications. Its inclusion within CPFP allows PTM localization to be performed quickly and easily on large or small result sets, from multiple search engines. Specificity expansion, introduced in ModLS, allows misassignments of modifications due to incomplete consideration of specificities to be identified and Minimized. © 2012 Trudgian DC, et al

GOAT--a simple LC-MS/MS gradient optimization tool.

Modern nano-HPLC systems are capable of extremely precise control of solvent gradients, allowing high-resolution separation of peptides. Most proteomics laboratories use a simple linear analytical gradient for nano-LC-MS/MS experiments, though recent evidence indicates that optimized non-linear gradients result in increased peptide and protein identifications from cell lysates. In concurrent work, we examined non-linear gradients for the analysis of samples fractionated at the peptide level, where the distribution of peptide retention times often varies by fraction. We hypothesized that greater coverage of these samples could be achieved using per-fraction optimized gradients. We demonstrate that the optimized gradients improve the distribution of peptides throughout the analysis. Using previous generation MS instrumentation, a considerable gain in peptide and protein identifications can be realized. With current MS platforms that have faster electronics and achieve shorter duty cycle, the improvement in identifications is smaller. Our gradient optimization method has been implemented in a simple graphical tool (GOAT) that is MS-vendor independent, does not require peptide ID input, and is freely available for non-commercial use at http://proteomics.swmed.edu/goat

Protein kinase C and NF-κB-dependent CD4 downregulation in macrophages induced by T cell-derived soluble factors: consequences for HIV-1 infection.

Upon activation, CD4(+) T cells release cytokines, chemokines, and other soluble factors that influence the kinetics of HIV-1 replication in macrophages (M). In this article, we show that activation of human primary T cells suppresses the early stages of HIV-1 replication in human primary Mφ by downregulating the main cellular receptor for the virus CD4. The secreted factors responsible for this effect have a molecular mass greater than conventional cytokines, are independent of Th1 or Th2 polarization, and are not IFN-γ, IL-16, RANTES, or macrophage inhibitory factor, as revealed by cytokine array analysis and neutralization assays. CD4 downregulation is entirely posttranslational and involves serine phosphorylation of CD4 and its targeting to an intracellular compartment destined for acidification and degradation. CD4 downregulation is dependent on the activities of both protein kinase C and NF-κB as well as the proteasomes. Using high-resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis in conjugation with label-free protein quantitation software, we found that proteins that promote Mφ adherence and spreading, such as attractin, fibronectin, and galectin-3-binding protein, were significantly overrepresented in the activated T cell supernatant fractions. These results reveal the existence of previously unreported anti-HIV-1 proteins, released by activated T cells that downregulate CD4 expression, and are of fundamental importance to understand the kinetics of HIV infection in vivo

A method for large-scale identification of protein arginine methylation.

The lack of methods for proteome-scale detection of arginine methylation restricts our knowledge of its relevance in physiological and pathological processes. Here we show that most tryptic peptides containing methylated arginine(s) are highly basic and hydrophilic. Consequently, they could be considerably enriched from total cell extracts by simple protocols using either one of strong cation exchange chromatography, isoelectric focusing, or hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, the latter being by far the most effective of all. These methods, coupled with heavy methyl-stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture and mass spectrometry, enabled in T cells the identification of 249 arginine methylation sites in 131 proteins, including 190 new sites and 93 proteins not previously known to be arginine methylated. By extending considerably the number of known arginine methylation sites, our data reveal a novel proline-rich consensus motif and identify for the first time arginine methylation in proteins involved in cytoskeleton rearrangement at the immunological synapse and in endosomal trafficking

CPFP: a central proteomics facilities pipeline.

UNLABELLED: The central proteomics facilities pipeline (CPFP) provides identification, validation, and quantitation of peptides and proteins from LC-MS/MS datasets through an easy to use web interface. It is the first analysis pipeline targeted specifically at the needs of proteomics core facilities, reducing the data analysis load on staff, and allowing facility clients to easily access and work with their data. Identification of peptides is performed using multiple search engines, their output combined and validated using state-of-the-art techniques for improved results. Cluster execution of jobs allows analysis capacity to be increased easily as demand grows. AVAILABILITY: Released under the Common Development and Distribution License at http://cpfp.sourceforge.net/. Demonstration available at https://cpfp-master.molbiol.ox.ac.uk/cpfp_demo

Quantitative phosphoproteome analysis unveils LAT as a modulator of CD3ζ and ZAP-70 tyrosine phosphorylation

Signaling through the T cell receptor (TCR) initiates adaptive immunity and its perturbation may results in autoimmunity. The plasma membrane scaffolding protein LAT acts as a central organizer of the TCR signaling machinery to activate many functional pathways. LAT-deficient mice develop an autoimmune syndrome but the mechanism of this pathology is unknown. In this work we have compared global dynamics of TCR signaling by MS-based quantitative phosphoproteomics in LAT-sufficient and LAT-defective Jurkat T cells. Surprisingly, we found that many TCR-induced phosphorylation events persist in the absence of LAT, despite ERK and PLCγ1 phosphorylation being repressed. Most importantly, the absence of LAT resulted in augmented and persistent tyrosine phosphorylation of CD3ζ and ZAP70. This indicates that LAT signaling hub is also implicated in negative feedback signals to modulate upstream phosphorylation events. Phosphorylation kinetics data resulting from this investigation is documented in a database (phosphoTCR) accessible online. The MS data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD000341

Label-free quantitative proteomics reveals differentially regulated proteins influencing urolithiasis.

Urinary proteins have been implicated as inhibitors of kidney stone formation (urolithiasis). As a proximal fluid, prefiltered by the kidneys, urine is an attractive biofluid for proteomic analysis in urologic conditions. However, it is necessary to correct for variations in urinary concentration. In our study, individual urine samples were normalized for this variation by using a total protein to creatinine ratio. Pooled urine samples were compared in two independent experiments. Differences between the urinary proteome of stone formers and nonstone-forming controls were characterized and quantified using label-free nano-ultraperformance liquid chromatography high/low collision energy switching analysis. There were 1063 proteins identified, of which 367 were unique to the stone former groups, 408 proteins were unique to the control pools, and 288 proteins were identified for comparative quantification. Proteins found to be unique in stone-formers were involved in carbohydrate metabolism pathways and associated with disease states. Thirty-four proteins demonstrated a consistent >twofold change between stone formers and controls. For ceruloplasmin, one of the proteins was shown to be more than twofold up-regulated in the stone-former pools, this observation was validated in individuals by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover, in vitro crystallization assays demonstrated ceruloplasmin had a dose-dependent increase on calcium oxalate crystal formation. Taken together, these results may suggest a functional role for ceruloplasmin in urolithiasis

Comparative evaluation of label-free SINQ normalized spectral index quantitation in the central proteomics facilities pipeline.

Normalized spectral index quantification was recently presented as an accurate method of label-free quantitation, which improved spectral counting by incorporating the intensities of peptide MS/MS fragment ions into the calculation of protein abundance. We present SINQ, a tool implementing this method within the framework of existing analysis software, our freely available central proteomics facilities pipeline (CPFP). We demonstrate, using data sets of protein standards acquired on a variety of mass spectrometers, that SINQ can rapidly provide useful estimates of the absolute quantity of proteins present in a medium-complexity sample. In addition, relative quantitation of standard proteins spiked into a complex lysate background and run without pre-fractionation produces accurate results at amounts above 1 fmol on column. We compare quantitation performance to various precursor intensity- and identification-based methods, including the normalized spectral abundance factor (NSAF), exponentially modified protein abundance index (emPAI), MaxQuant, and Progenesis LC-MS. We anticipate that the SINQ tool will be a useful asset for core facilities and individual laboratories that wish to produce quantitative MS data, but lack the necessary manpower to routinely support more complicated software workflows. SINQ is freely available to obtain and use as part of the central proteomics facilities pipeline, which is released under an open-source license