High-resolution mapping of protein concentration reveals principles of proteome architecture and adaptation

A single yeast cell contains a hundred million protein molecules. How these proteins are organized to orchestrate living processes is a central question in biology. To probe this organization in vivo, we measured the local concentration of proteins based on the strength of their nonspecific interactions with a neutral reporter protein. We first used a cytosolic reporter and measured local concentrations for ~2,000 proteins in S. cerevisiae, with accuracy comparable to that of mass spectrometry. Localizing the reporter to membranes specifically increased the local concentration measured for membrane proteins. Comparing the concentrations measured by both reporters revealed that encounter frequencies between proteins are primarily dictated by their abundances. However, to change these encounter frequencies and restructure the proteome, as in adaptation, we find that changes in localization have more impact than changes in abundance. These results highlight how protein abundance and localization contribute to proteome organization and reorganization.