Computational methods for the comparative quantification of proteins in label-free LCn-MS experiments

Brief Bioinform. 2008 Mar;9(2):156-65. doi: 10.1093/bib/bbm046. Epub 2007 Sep 28.

Abstract

Liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to electrospray mass spectrometry (MS) is well established in high-throughput proteomics. The technology enables rapid identification of large numbers of proteins in a relatively short time. Comparative quantification of identified proteins from different samples is often regarded as the next step in proteomics experiments enabling the comparison of protein expression in different proteomes. Differential labeling of samples using stable isotope incorporation or conjugation is commonly used to compare protein levels between samples but these procedures are difficult to carry out in the laboratory and for large numbers of samples. Recently, comparative quantification of label-free LC(n)-MS proteomics data has emerged as an alternative approach. In this review, we discuss different computational approaches for extracting comparative quantitative information from label-free LC(n)-MS proteomics data. The procedure for computationally recovering the quantitative information is described. Furthermore, statistical tests used to evaluate the relevance of results will also be discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Chromatography, Liquid / instrumentation
  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods*
  • Computational Biology / methods*
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical*
  • Mass Spectrometry / instrumentation
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Proteins / analysis*
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • Sequence Analysis, Protein
  • Software

Substances

  • Proteins