Genetic Control of Chromatin States in Humans Involves Local and Distal Chromosomal Interactions.

Deciphering the impact of genetic variants on gene regulation is fundamental to understanding human disease. Although gene regulation often involves long-range interactions, it is unknown to what extent non-coding genetic variants influence distal molecular phenotypes. Here, we integrate chromatin profiling for three histone marks in lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from 75 sequenced individuals with LCL-specific Hi-C and ChIA-PET-based chromatin contact maps to uncover one of the largest collections of local and distal histone quantitative trait loci (hQTLs). Distal QTLs are enriched within topologically associated domains and exhibit largely concordant variation of chromatin state coordinated by proximal and distal non-coding genetic variants. Histone QTLs are enriched for common variants associated with autoimmune diseases and enable identification of putative target genes of disease-associated variants from genome-wide association studies. These analyses provide insights into how genetic variation can affect human disease phenotypes by coordinated changes in chromatin at interacting regulatory elements.

Analysis of tandem mass spectra by FTMS for improved large-scale proteomics with superior protein quantification.

Using a newly developed dual-cell quadrupole linear ion trap-orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometer (dcQLT-orbitrap), we demonstrate the utility of collecting high-resolution tandem mass spectral data for large-scale shotgun proteomics. Multiple nanoLC-MS/MS experiments on both an older generation quadrupole linear ion trap-orbitrap hybrid (QLT-orbitrap) and the dcQLT-orbitrap, using both resonant-excitation CAD and beam-type CAD (HCD), were performed. Resulting from various technological advances (e.g., a stacked ring ion guide AP inlet, a dual cell QLT), the dcQLT-orbitrap exhibited increased duty cycle (approximately 1.5-2 times) and sensitivity for both CAD (ion trap detection) and HCD (orbitrap detection) methods. As compared to the older system, the dcQLT-orbitrap produced significantly more unique peptide identifications for both methods (approximately 30% improvement for CAD and approximately 115% improvement for HCD). The sizable improvement of the HCD method on the dcQLT-orbitrap system outperforms the current standard method of CAD with ion trap detection for large-scale analysis. Finally, we demonstrate that the increased HCD performance translates to a direct and substantial improvement in protein quantitation precision using isobaric tags.

Peptide quantification using 8-plex isobaric tags and electron transfer dissociation tandem mass spectrometry.

Isobaric tags for absolute and relative quantitation (iTRAQ) allow for simultaneous relative quantification of peptides from up to eight different samples. Typically peptides labeled with 8-plex iTRAQ tags are pooled and fragmented using beam-type collision activated dissociation (CAD) which, in addition to cleaving the peptide backbone bonds, cleaves the tag to produce reporter ions. The relative intensities of the reporters are directly proportional to the relative abundances of each peptide in the solution phase. Recently, studies using the 4-plex iTRAQ tagging reagent demonstrated that electron transfer dissociation (ETD) of 4-plex iTRAQ labeled peptides cleaves at the N-C alpha bond in the tag and allows for up to three channels of quantification. In this paper we investigate the ETD fragmentation patterns of peptides labeled with 8-plex iTRAQ tags. We demonstrate that upon ETD, peptides labeled with 8-plex iTRAQ tags fragment to produce unique reporter ions that allow for five channels of quantification. ETD-MS/MS of these labeled peptides also produces a peak at 322 m/z which, upon resonant excitation (CAD), gives rise to all eight iTRAQ reporter ions and allows for eight channels of quantification. Comparison of this method to beam-type CAD quantification shows a good correlation (y = 0.91x + 0.01, R(2) = 0.9383).

Unraveling the histone's potential: a proteomics perspective.

Post translational modification (PTM) of histones has long been associated with epigenetic regulation. Although genomic approaches have established correlation between a handful of histone PTMs and transcriptional states, only recently have advancements in proteomics provided the tools necessary to study histone proteins and their relevant modifications in this context. Using mass spectrometry, researchers have demonstrated the ability to determine the full repertoire of histone PTMs, their residue specific location, the combinations in which they exist, and the proteins that interact with these combinations. Moving forward it will be imperative to develop novel approaches that combine proteomic and genomic technologies to determine the functional significance of these combinations of modifications. Assays with increased specificity will resolve more focused biological questions and determine to what extent, and by what mechanisms, histones influence transcription.

Peptide and protein quantification using iTRAQ with electron transfer dissociation.

Electron transfer dissociation (ETD) has become increasingly used in proteomic analyses due to its complementarity to collision-activated dissociation (CAD) and its ability to sequence peptides with post-translation modifications (PTMs). It was previously unknown, however, whether ETD would be compatible with a commonly employed quantification technique, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ), since the fragmentation mechanisms and pathways of ETD differ significantly from CAD. We demonstrate here that ETD of iTRAQ labeled peptides produces c- and z-type fragment ions as well as reporter ions that are unique from those produced by CAD. Exact molecular formulas of product ions were determined by ETD fragmentation of iTRAQ-labeled synthetic peptides followed by high mass accuracy orbitrap mass analysis. These experiments revealed that ETD cleavage of the N-C(alpha) bond of the iTRAQ tag results in fragment ions that could be used for quantification. Synthetic peptide work demonstrates that these fragment ions provide up to three channels of quantification and that the quality is similar to that provided by beam-type CAD. Protein standards were used to evaluate peptide and protein quantification of iTRAQ labeling in conjunction with ETD, beam-type CAD, and pulsed Q dissociation (PQD) on a hybrid ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometer. For reporter ion intensities above a certain threshold all three strategies provided reliable peptide quantification (average error <10%). Approximately 36%, 8%, and 16% of scans identified fall below this threshold for ETD, HCD, and PQD, respectively. At the protein level, average errors were 2.3%, 1.7%, and 3.6% for ETD, HCD, and PQD, respectively.

A proteomics grade electron transfer dissociation-enabled hybrid linear ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometer.

Here we detail the modification of a quadrupole linear ion trap-orbitrap hybrid (QLT-orbitrap) mass spectrometer to accommodate a negative chemical ionization (NCI) source. The NCI source is used to produce fluoranthene radical anions for imparting electron transfer dissociation (ETD). The anion beam is stable, robust, and intense so that a sufficient amount of reagents can be injected into the QLT in only 4-8 ms. Following ion/ion reaction in the QLT, ETD product ions are mass-to-charge (m/z) analyzed in either the QLT (for speed and sensitivity) or the orbitrap (for mass resolution and accuracy). Here we describe the physical layout of this device, parametric optimization of anion transport, an evaluation of relevant ETD figures of merit, and the application of this instrument to protein sequence analysis. Described proteomic applications include complex peptide mixture analysis, post-translational modification (PTM) site identification, isotope-encoded quantitation, large peptide characterization, and intact protein analysis. From these experiments, we conclude the ETD-enabled orbitrap will provide the proteomic field with several new opportunities and represents an advance in protein sequence analysis technologies.

Mass spectrometry identifies and quantifies 74 unique histone H4 isoforms in differentiating human embryonic stem cells.

Epigenetic regulation through chromatin is thought to play a critical role in the establishment and maintenance of pluripotency. Traditionally, antibody-based technologies were used to probe for specific posttranslational modifications (PTMs) present on histone tails, but these methods do not generally reveal the presence of multiple modifications on a single-histone tail (combinatorial codes). Here, we describe technology for the discovery and quantification of histone combinatorial codes that is based on chromatography and mass spectrometry. We applied this methodology to decipher 74 discrete combinatorial codes on the tail of histone H4 from human embryonic stem (ES) cells. Finally, we quantified the abundances of these codes as human ES cells undergo differentiation to reveal striking changes in methylation and acetylation patterns. For example, H4R3 methylation was observed only in the presence of H4K20 dimethylation; such context-specific patterning exemplifies the power of this technique.

Contribution of protein fractionation to depth of analysis of the serum and plasma proteomes.

In-depth analysis of the serum and plasma proteomes by mass spectrometry is challenged by the vast dynamic range of protein abundance and substantial complexity. There is merit in reducing complexity through fractionation to facilitate mass spectrometry analysis of low-abundance proteins. However, fractionation reduces throughput and has the potential of diluting individual proteins or inducing their loss. Here, we have investigated the contribution of extensive fractionation of intact proteins to depth of analysis. Pooled serum depleted of abundant proteins was fractionated by an orthogonal two-dimensional system consisting of anion-exchange and reversed-phase chromatography. The resulting protein fractions were aliquotted; one aliquot was analyzed by shotgun LC-MS/MS, and another was further resolved into protein bands in a third dimension using SDS-PAGE. Individual gel bands were excised and subjected to in situ digestion and mass spectrometry. We demonstrate that increased fractionation results in increased depth of analysis based on total number of proteins identified in serum and based on representation in individual fractions of specific proteins identified in gel bands following a third-dimension SDS gel analysis. An intact protein analysis system (IPAS) based on a two-dimensional plasma fractionation schema was implemented that resulted in identification of 1662 proteins with high confidence with representation of protein isoforms that differed in their chromatographic mobility. Further increase in depth of analysis was accomplished by repeat analysis of aliquots from the same set of two-dimensional fractions resulting in overall identification of 2254 proteins. We conclude that substantial depth of analysis of proteins from milliliter quantities of serum or plasma and detection of isoforms are achieved with depletion of abundant proteins followed by two-dimensional protein fractionation and MS analysis of individual fractions.

Implementation of electron-transfer dissociation on a hybrid linear ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometer.

We describe the adaptation of a hybrid quadrupole linear ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometer to accommodate electron-transfer ion/ion reactions (ETD) for peptide and protein characterization. The method utilizes pulsed, dual electrospray ion sources and requires minimal instrument modification. Switching between cation and reagent anion injection schemes is automated and accomplished within a few hundred milliseconds. Ion/ion reactions are conducted within the linear ion trap, after which the c- and z-type product ions are passed to the orbitrap for high-resolution m/z analysis. With this arrangement, mass accuracies are typically measured to within 2 ppm at a resolving power of approximately 60 000. Using large peptides and intact proteins, we demonstrate such capabilities will accelerate our ability to interrogate high-mass species. To illustrate compatibility with automated data-dependent analysis and subsequent data processing, we couple the technique with an online chromatographic separation of a yeast whole-cell lysate followed by peptide identification using ProSight PC. Fairly long pulsing times and relatively low ET efficiency, as compared to conventional ETD instrumentation, are the main drawbacks of this approach. Still, our results suggest that the implementation of ETD on sensitive, high-resolution, and high-mass accuracy hybrid instrumentation, such as the orbitrap, will substantially propel the emergent fields of middle- and top-down proteomics.

Quantitative analysis of acrylamide labeled serum proteins by LC-MS/MS.

Isotopic labeling of cysteine residues with acrylamide was previously utilized for relative quantitation of proteins by MALDI-TOF. Here, we explored and compared the application of deuterated and (13)C isotopes of acrylamide for quantitative proteomic analysis using LC-MS/MS and high-resolution FTICR mass spectrometry. The method was applied to human serum samples that were immunodepleted of abundant proteins. Our results show reliable quantitation of proteins across an abundance range that spans 5 orders of magnitude based on ion intensities and known protein concentration in plasma. The use of (13)C isotope of acrylamide had a slightly greater advantage relative to deuterated acrylamide, because of shifts in elution of deuterated acrylamide relative to its corresponding nondeuterated compound by reversed-phase chromatography. Overall, the use of acrylamide for differentially labeling intact proteins in complex mixtures, in combination with LC-MS/MS provides a robust method for quantitative analysis of complex proteomes.