Proteomic, Chromatin Biology, Analytical Chemistry
The sequences of the human genome and genomes of many other organisms are now readily available and have revolutionized modern biological research. Nevertheless, the next challenge presently on the horizon (after the post-genome era) is the comprehensive characterization of proteins, the ‘active/expressed’ part of the genome. DNA sequence or mRNA levels alone cannot predict the dynamic aspects of cellular function. Proteins, their post-translational modifications (PTMs) and the multi-protein complexes they form are the driving forces of the cellular machinery. These observations have led to the emergence of a new sub-field of contemporary biology called Proteomics: the characterization of the protein complement expressed by a genome of a particular organism or tissue. At the heart of proteomic experiments is the use of nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of complex protein mixtures, which is arguably the most rapid, sensitive and accurate technique available for sequence characterization of proteins.