In the eye of the beholder: does the master see the SameSpots as the novice?

Historically, the use of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) in quantitative proteomics has been hampered by significant technical variance. Over the past decade, a range of technological leaps have reduced the overall variance of 2-DE, thus turning the technology into a robust platform for quantitative intact proteomics. However, as the confounding gel-to-gel variation improves, the variance arising from the subsequent image analysis becomes more prominent.

Proteomic investigation of changes in human vastus lateralis muscle in response to interval-exercise training.

No previous study has used proteomics to investigate the effects of exercise training on human skeletal muscle. Five recreationally active men completed a 6-wk training programme involving three sessions per week, utilising six 1-min bouts at maximum oxygen uptake (V O(2)max) interspersed with 4 min at 50% V O(2)max. Vastus lateralis was biopsied at standardised times before and after the training intervention.

A novel, high-throughput workflow for discovery and identification of serum carrier protein-bound peptide biomarker candidates in ovarian cancer samples.

Background: Most cases of ovarian cancer are detected at later stages when the 5-year survival is approximately 15%, but 5-year survival approaches 90% when the cancer is detected early (stage I). To use mass spectrometry (MS) of serum proteins for early detection, a seamless workflow is needed that provides an opportunity for rapid profiling along with direct identification of the underpinning ions.

Methods: We used carrier protein-bound affinity enrichment of serum samples directly coupled with MALDI orthagonal TOF MS profiling to rapidly search for potential ion signatures that contained discriminatory power.