Phosphorylation: MS vs Proteomics

The detection of protein phosphorylation levels is mainly carried out in the field of proteomics through mass spectrometry technology. Proteomics is the science of studying the combination, structure, and function of all proteins in organisms. Mass Spectrometry (MS) is a key analytical tool in proteomics, especially in the study of protein modifications, such as phosphorylation.

 

Protein phosphorylation is a common post-translational modification of protein, which is crucial for regulating the function of proteins and the process of signal transduction in cells. In proteomics research, mass spectrometry is widely used for:

 

Applications

1. Identify Phosphorylation Sites

Phosphorylation sites on proteins can be accurately identified through mass spectrometry.

 

2. Quantify Phosphorylation Levels

Mass spectrometry can also be used for quantitative analysis of protein phosphorylation levels.

 

The use of mass spectrometry to detect protein phosphorylation usually includes several steps: the preparation of protein samples, enzymolysis (usually using trypsin), and then analysis using mass spectrometry. In some cases, an enrichment step may be performed first to improve the detection rate of low-abundance phosphorylated peptides.