Evaluation of Protein-Protein Interactions using an On-Membrane Digestion Technique

J Vis Exp. 2019 Jul 19:(149). doi: 10.3791/59733.

Abstract

Numerous intracellular proteins physically interact in accordance with their intracellular and extracellular circumstances. Indeed, cellular functions largely depend on intracellular protein-protein interactions. Therefore, research regarding these interactions is indispensable to facilitating the understanding of physiologic processes. Co-precipitation of associated proteins, followed by mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, enables the identification of novel protein interactions. In this study, we have provided details of the novel technique of immunoprecipitation-liquid chromatography (LC)-MS/MS analysis combined with on-membrane digestion for the analysis of protein-protein interactions. This technique is suitable for crude immunoprecipitants and can improve the throughput of proteomic analyses. Tagged recombinant proteins were precipitated using specific antibodies; next, immunoprecipitants blotted onto polyvinylidene difluoride membrane pieces were subjected to reductive alkylation. Following trypsinization, the digested protein residues were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Using this technique, we were able to identify several candidate associated proteins. Thus, this method is convenient and useful for the characterization of novel protein-protein interactions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Alkylation
  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods*
  • Immunoprecipitation / methods*
  • Protein Binding
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proteomics
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Trypsin / metabolism

Substances

  • Proteins
  • Trypsin