Protein Identification Core

UIUC神经蛋白质组学中心的蛋白质鉴定核心的总体目标是细胞-细胞 信号传导是表征一系列样品的蛋白质和肽互补物， 特别强调那些参与细胞间信号传导。细胞内信号分子 在研究的细胞和组织中表达的蛋白质， 这是一个巨大的挑战，有大量的成分，在大小和浓度上有很大的变化。到 解决这些挑战，并为我们的用户提供最先进的蛋白质电池 为了鉴定技术，使用一系列质谱方法，包括差示扫描量热法。 凝胶电泳、质量指纹图谱、串联测序、精确质量测量，以及 自上而下的完整蛋白质分析此外，细胞间信号分子的空间定位 使用多种质谱成像技术进行。我们的用户需求 脑中细胞间信号分子的鉴定和定量与 单细胞生物和同质组织的蛋白质组学测量所需要的是， 特别是在样本量和复杂性方面。因此，先进的测量策略 在我们的中心使用反映了这种复杂性。结合研究中的专业知识和设备 与此核心相关的群体，存在一个独特的机会来识别和描述 细胞间信号肽和蛋白质的模型和规模范围令人惊讶。

The overall goal of the Protein Identification Core of the UIUC Neuroproteomics Center on Cell-Cell Signaling is to characterize the protein and peptide complements of a range of samples, with a special emphasis on those involved in intercellular signaling. The intracellular signaling molecules expressed in the cells and tissues under investigation present an extremely complex analytical challenge with a vast number of components, varying dramatically in size and concentration. To address these challenges, and to provide our users with a battery of state-of-the-art protein identification techniques, a range of mass spectrometric approaches are used, including differential gel electrophoresis, mass fingerprinting, tandem sequencing, accurate mass measurements, and top-down intact protein analysis. In addition, spatial localization of intercellular signaling molecules is performed using a variety of mass spectrometric imaging techniques. Our user's needs for intercellular signaling molecule identification and quantitation in the brain are quite different from what is required from proteomics measurements of unicellular organisms and homogenous tissues, particularly with regard to sample size and complexity. Thus, the advanced measurement strategies used in our Center reflect this complexity. With the combined expertise and facilities in the research groups associated with this core, a unique opportunity exists to identify and characterize intercellular signaling peptides and proteins across a surprising range of models and scales.