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22 Application of Proteomics to Fish Processing and Quality 407
Figure 22.1.An overview over the “classic approach” in proteomics. First, a protein extract (crude or fractionated) from the tissue of choice is
subjected to two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE). Once a protein of interest has been identified, it is excised from
the gel, subjected to degradation by trypsin (or other suitable protease) and the resulting peptides analyzed by mass spectrometry (MS),
yielding a peptide mass fingerprint. In many cases, this is sufficient for identification purposes, but if needed, peptides can be dissociated into
smaller fragments and small partial sequences obtained by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). See text for further details.
two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) followed by protein
identification via peptide mass fingerprinting of trypsin digests
(Fig. 22.1) remains the workhorse of most proteomics work,
largely because of its high resolution, simplicity, and mass accu-
racy. This “classic approach” will, therefore, be the main focus of
this chapter. A number of reviews on the advances and prospects
of proteomics within various fields of study are available. Some
recent ones include: Andersen and Mann (2006), Balestrieri
et al. (2008), Beretta (2009), Bogyo and Cravatt (2007), Drabik
et al. (2007), Ikonomou et al. (2009), Issaq and Veenstra (2008),
Jorrin-Novo et al. (2009), Latterich et al. (2008), L ́opez (2007),
Mamone et al. (2009), Malmstrom et al. (2007), Premsler et al.
(2009), Smith et al. (2009), Wang et al. (2006), Wilm (2009),
Yates et al. (2009).
Two-Dimensional Electrophoresis
2DE, the cornerstone of most proteomics research, is the si-
multaneous separation of hundreds, or even thousands, of pro-
teins on a two-dimensional polyacrylamide slab gel. The po-
tential of a two-dimensional protein separation technique was
realized early on, with considerable development efforts taking
place in the 1960s (Margolis and Kenrick 1969, Kaltschmidt
and Wittmann 1970). The method most commonly used today
was developed by Patrick O’Farrell. It is described in his seminal
and thorough 1975 paper (O’Farrell 1975) and is outlined briefly
later. It is worth emphasizing that great care must be taken that
the proteome under investigation is reproducibly represented on
the 2DE gels, and that individual variation in specific protein