Sabrina Laugesen

A new sample preparation method for MALDI based on the use of a mixture of the two commonly used matrices, DHB and CHCA, is described. The matrix mixture preparation results in increased sequence coverage and spot-to-spot reproducibility for peptide mass mapping compared to the use of the single matrix components. This results in more reliable protein identification in proteomics studies and facilitates automated data acquisition. This method shows better tolerance towards salts and impurities, eliminating the need for pre-purification of the samples. It has also been found to be advantageous for the analysis of intact proteins, and especially for glycoproteins. The mixture allows the presence of rather high concentrations of urea in the sample solutions.

Germination of monocotyledonous plants involves activation and de novo synthesis of enzymes that degrade cell walls and starch and mobilize stored endosperm reserves for embryo growth. Two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were applied to identify major water-soluble proteins in extracts of mature barley (Hordeum vulgare) seeds and to follow their fate during germination. About 1200 and 600 spots of pI 4-7 were detected on 2-D gels by silver staining and colloidal Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining, respectively. About 300 spots were selected for in-gel digestion followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry-peptide map fingerprint analysis. Database searches using measured peptide masses resulted in 198 identifications of 103 proteins in 177 spots. These include housekeeping enzymes, chaperones, defence proteins (including enzyme inhibitors), and proteins related to desiccation and oxidative stress. Sixty-four of the identifications were made using expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Numerous spots in the 2-D gel pattern changed during germination (micromalting) and an intensely stained area which contained large amounts of the serpin protein Z appeared centrally on the 2-D gel. Spots containing alpha-amylase also appeared. Identification of 22 spots after three days of germination represented 13 different database entries and 11 functions including hydrolytic enzymes, chaperones, housekeeping enzymes, and inhibitors.

Brown spiders of the Loxosceles genus are distributed worldwide. In Brazil, eight species are found in Southern states, where the envenomation by Loxosceles venom (loxoscelism) is a health problem. The mechanism of the dermonecrotic action of Loxosceles venom is not totally understood. Two isoforms of dermonecrotic toxins (loxnecrogins) from L. gaucho venom have been previously purified, and showed sequence similarities to sphingomyelinase. Herein we employed a proteomic approach to obtain a global view of the venom proteome, with a particular interest in the loxnecrogin isoforms' pattern. Proteomic two-dimensional gel electrophoresis maps for L. gaucho, L. intermedia, and L. laeta venoms showed a major protein region (30-35 kDa, pI 3-10), where at least eight loxnecrogin isoforms could be separated and identified. Their characterization used a combined approach composed of Edman chemical sequencing, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry, and electrospray ionization-quadropole-time of flight tandem mass spectrometry leading to the identification of sphingomyelinases D. The venom was also pre-fractionated by gel filtration on a Superose 12 fast protein liqiud chromatography column, followed by capillary liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Eleven possible loxnecrogin isoforms around 30-32 kDa were detected. The identification of dermonecrotic toxin isoforms in L. gaucho venom is an important step towards understanding the physiopathology of the envenomation, leading to improvements in the immunotherapy of loxoscelism.

Abstract A protocol was established for two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis (2‐DE) of barley seed and malt proteins in the pH range of 6–11. Proteins extracted from flour in a low‐salt buffer were focused after cup‐loading onto IPG strips. Successful separation in the second dimension was achieved using gradient gels in a horizontal SDS‐PAGE system. Silver staining of gels visualized around 380 (seed) and 500 (malt) spots. Thirty‐seven different proteins from seeds were identified in 60 spots, among these 46 were visualized also in the malt 2‐D pattern. Proteins were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting and by tandem MS sequencing after in‐gel digestion by trypsin. In addition, the N ‐terminal sequence of 10 different proteins from 11 spots was determined after electroblotting to a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane. Five identified proteins (in 9 spots) are involved in glycolysis, 12 in defence against pathogens (21 spots), 4 in storage, folding, and synthesis of proteins, and in nitrogen metabolism (5 spots), 6 in carbohydrate metabolism (11 spots), and 4 in stress and detoxification (9 spots). Six proteins (7 spots) were not grouped in these categories, and 3 were not ascribed a function. The presented 2‐D patterns and identifications will be used to describe proteome differences between cultivars and changes during malting.