Analysis of Post-Translational Modifications Using Mass Spectrometry

Of the 300 or so Post-translational modifications (PTMs) known, this book sets out to describe mass spectrometry-based methods for the analysis of some of the most well studied. While the identification of PTMs using mass spectrometry has frequently occurred serendipitously as a result of database searching with variable modifications, the book highlights areas where a more focused strategy has successfully been employed, in turn allowing the researcher to answer specific questions in a more sensitive and global manner.

The book begins with an overview of what post-translation modifications are, and how they are analyzed in a global and targeted fashion. Popular scanning functions are described here to prevent repetition in subsequent chapters and the importance of good bioinformatics is presented. Following on from the Introduction are eight chapters, which specialize in individual PTMs. A final experimental chapter discusses top-down strategies to this type of analysis, which includes ion mobility, alternative enzymes and more specialized fragmentation techniques. The book concludes with a chapter that pulls together the previous chapters in a summary and suggests future directions of the field.