Elektrospray-Ionisation (ESI) mass spectrometry system for protein analyses

Universität汉诺威大学莱布尼茨自然科学学院植物蛋白质组学系的研究重点是在蛋白质和蛋白质组水平上研究植物的分子过程。蛋白质质谱分析是我们项目的核心。此外，我们系还从事分析来自莱布尼茨Herrenhausen校园Universität汉诺威其他研究所的蛋白质组分。目前，我们部门正在运行两套用于蛋白质分析的质谱分析系统。质谱分析系统在过去十年中得到了很大的发展。所要求的新的质谱系统将大大提高我们部门的研究能力，并允许在我们目前不可能的深度研究植物的分子功能。植物蛋白质组学主要研究植物的能量生物学，特别是光合作用和共生固氮作用下细胞呼吸的功能。其中一些功能依赖于蛋白质和蛋白质之间的相互作用。我们采用“复杂组分析”来系统地表征蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用。该实验方法基于蛋白质组学霰弹枪实验对大量蛋白质组分的分析，需要快速的质谱分析系统。此外，我们计划研究植物器官中特定细胞类型的细胞器的功能。为此，线粒体以一种细胞类型特异性的方式被标记蛋白标记，这允许它们的靶向分离。所得的蛋白质组分数量非常少，其蛋白质组学分析需要高灵敏度的质谱分析系统。最后，我们将研究调节植物分子功能的信号转导途径，特别是那些基于配体与特定蛋白质靶点结合的步骤。实验是基于使用“串联质量标签”（TMTs），需要一个高分辨率的质谱分析系统。所要求的质谱系统完全适合计划的研究项目。本文的研究将为进一步认识植物的分子功能与提高产量和提高植物的抗逆性提供新的思路。

Research of the Plant Proteomics department of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Leibniz Universität Hannover is focused on molecular processes of plants on the level of proteins and proteomes. Protein mass spectrometry is at the very center of our projects. In addition, our department is engaged in analyzing protein fractions from various other Institutes of the Herrenhausen campus of Leibniz Universität Hannover. Currently, our department is running two mass spectrometry systems for protein analyses which are used to capacity. Mass spectrometry systems much evolved during the last decade. The requested new mass spectrometry system would significantly enhance the research capabilities of our department and allows investigating molecular functions of plants in a depth currently not possible for us.The plant proteomics department is especially interested in exploring the energy biology of plants, particularly the functions of cellular respiration in the context of photosynthesis and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Several of these functions depend on proteins and protein-protein interactions. We employ “complexome profiling” for systematically characterizing protein-protein interactions. This experimental approach is based on analyzing large numbers of protein fractions by proteomic shotgun-experiments, which requires a fast mass spectrometry system. Furthermore, we plan to investigate the functions of organelles of specific cell types of plant organs. For this, mitochondria are marked with tagged proteins in a cell-type specific manner, which allows their targeted isolation. Resulting protein fractions are of very low quantity and their proteomic analysis requires a highly sensitive mass spectrometry system. Finally, signal transduction pathways regulating molecular functions of plants shall be investigated, particularly those steps which are based on the binding of ligands to specific protein targets. Experiments are based on using „Tandem mass tags“ (TMTs) and require a high-resolution mass spectrometry system. The requested mass spectrometry system is perfectly suitable for the planned research projects. The research described here will give new insights into molecular functions of plants relevant for increasing plant yield and for improving plant stress tolerance.