Membrane-free electrokinetic device integrated to electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry for the simultaneous removal of sodium dodecyl sulfate and enrichment of peptides

The removal of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in SDS-assisted proteomics with electrospray-ionization-mass-spectrometric (ESI-MS) analysis is an essential step in the analysis. Off-line state-of-the-art sample-preparation strategies can allow 100% removal of DS- and up to 100% peptide recoveries. These strategies, however, are typically laborious and require long analysis times and a complex experimental setup. Here, we developed a simple, membrane-free, electrokinetic, on-line, integrated SDS removal–ESI-MS device that was able to enhance ESI-MS signals of bradykinin and peptides from trypsin-digested bovine serum albumin (BSA) in samples that contained SDS micelles. The significant peptide-signal improvements were contributed by the complete removal of DS- and the enrichment of the peptides in the presence of an electric field. Enrichment was via micelle-to-solvent stacking, initially developed in capillary electrophoresis. Bradykinin percent recovery was 800%, and BSA peptide percent recovery was 87%. Enhancement factors in ESI-MS signals (after and before removal) for selected m/z values of peptides from the BSA digest were 535-693

Proteomics: Tools of the trade

The proteome represents the total set of proteins produced by an organism or a system at a particular time or state, with proteomics being the study of the proteome. The proteome is a dynamic system wherein proteins are interconnected and serve to facilitate cellular processes in a concurrent and coordinated manner. Over the years, various biochemical and biophysical methods have been developed to elucidate the identities, structures and functions of proteins in order to understand their roles in complex biological systems. The success of proteomic approaches hinges on efficient protein extraction and sample preparation; however, these preliminary steps are often considered a bottleneck in proteomic workflows. Every biological sample is unique and complex, and sample processing needs to be tailored to the nature of the protein sample due to its vulnerability towards post-collection degradation and the complexity of its non-protein constituents. Sample pretreatment steps often employ buffers, solvents, salts and detergents that are not always compatible with the downstream analytical tools. This chapter will provide an overview of sample pretreatment techniques commonly used in conjunction with proteomics tools and discuss protein analysis methods. Such methods include the use of antibody-based techniques, separation sciences (e.g. chromatography, SDS-PAGE), detection methods (e.g. mass spectrometry) and structural techniques (e.g. NMR and X-ray crystallography