Research Progress in Isotope Labeling/Tags-Based Protein Quantification and Metrology Technologies

Advanced liquid chromatogram-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and automated large-scale data processing have made MS-based quantitative analysis increasingly useful for research in fields such as biology, medicine, food safety, and beyond. This is because MS-based quantitative analysis can accurately and sensitively analyze thousands of proteins and peptides in a single experiment. However, the precision, coverage, complexity, and resilience of conventional quantification methods vary as a result of the modifications to the analytic environment and the physicochemical characteristics of analytes. Therefore, specially designed approaches are necessary for sample preparation. Dozens of methods have been developed and adapted for these needs based on stable isotopic labeling or isobaric tagging, each with distinct characteristics. In this review, we will summarize the leading strategies and techniques used thus far for MS-based protein quantification as well as analyze the advantages and shortcomings of different approaches. Additionally, we provide an overview of protein metrology development.