Analytical tools for the characterization of protein identity and structure are fundamental to many fields of biochemical research. For the development of protein biopharmaceuticals, it is particularly important to measure modifications of the structure that may affect safety and efficacy. This application requires the analysis of large numbers of samples during process development. Small quantities of modifications must be detected in samples that are in the presence of more abundant native protein. Many kinds of analytical techniques are applied to this problem including peptide mapping, bioassays, liquid chromatography, spectroscopy, and so on. One of the most attractive tools is mass spectrometry, since essentially any change in the molecule is accompanied by a change in molecular weight. With the recent advent of readily accessible mass spectrometers capable of routine exact mass measurement, it is appropriate to consider the detailed requirements for this application…
Tag: <span>mass spectrometry</span>
There is an increasing emphasis in clinical and translational research on the discovery and development of biomarkers that are indicative of a disease state. While biomarkers are not exclusively proteins, the emergence of new mass spectrometry platforms combined with the human genome databases has rejuvenated the search for biomarker proteins, especially in readily available body fluids such as blood. There is currently a tremendous need for an improved ability to “mine” the full depth of the proteome in a high throughput manner. To advance clinical proteomics, methodologies are needed that can accommodate higher throughput while facilitating the ability to observe large numbers of protein events…