Natural isotope correction improves analysis of protein modification dynamics

Area of Science:

• Proteomics
• Metabolomics
• Mass Spectrometry

Background:

• Stable isotope labeling and high-resolution mass spectrometry are vital for analyzing metabolite and protein dynamics.
• Accurate estimation of these dynamics necessitates correction for naturally occurring stable isotopes (isotopologue correction).
• While crucial in metabolomics, isotopologue correction is less emphasized in proteomics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce PICor, a novel tool for isotopologue correction in complex isotope labeling experiments.
• To highlight the importance of accurate isotopologue correction in proteomics and metabolomics.
• To demonstrate the impact of correction on protein modification dynamics using histone acetylation as a case study.

Main Methods:

• Development of PICor software for isotopologue correction.
• Application of PICor to complex isotope labeling experiments in proteomics and metabolomics.
• Validation using histone acetylation dynamics.

Main Results:

• PICor enables accurate isotopologue correction for complex labeling experiments.
• Demonstrated the critical need for correction in determining protein modification dynamics.
• Showcased the utility of PICor in analyzing histone acetylation.

Conclusions:

• PICor is an effective tool for isotopologue correction in both proteomics and metabolomics.
• Appropriate correction is essential for reliable analysis of dynamic changes in proteins and metabolites.
• PICor facilitates more accurate quantification of biological processes like histone acetylation.