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Aebersold R, Agar JN, Amster IJ, Baker MS, Bertozzi CR, Boja ES, Costello CE, Cravatt BF, Fenselau C, Garcia BA, Ge Y, Gunawardena J, Hendrickson RC, Hergenrother PJ, Huber CG, Ivanov AR, Jensen ON, Jewett MC, Kelleher NL, Kiessling LL, Krogan NJ, Larsen MR, Loo JA, Ogorzalek Loo RR, Lundberg E, MacCoss MJ, Mallick P, Mootha VK, Mrksich M, Muir TW, Patrie SM, Pesavento JJ, Pitteri SJ, Rodriguez H, Saghatelian A, Sandoval W, Schlüter H, Sechi S, Slavoff SA, Smith LM, Snyder MP, Thomas PM, Uhlén M, Van Eyk JE, Vidal M, Walt DR, White FM, Williams ER, Wohlschlager T, Wysocki VH, Yates NA, Young NL, Zhang B
Nat. Chem. Biol. 14 (3) 206-214 [2018-02-14; online 2018-02-15]
Despite decades of accumulated knowledge about proteins and their post-translational modifications (PTMs), numerous questions remain regarding their molecular composition and biological function. One of the most fundamental queries is the extent to which the combinations of DNA-, RNA- and PTM-level variations explode the complexity of the human proteome. Here, we outline what we know from current databases and measurement strategies including mass spectrometry-based proteomics. In doing so, we examine prevailing notions about the number of modifications displayed on human proteins and how they combine to generate the protein diversity underlying health and disease. We frame central issues regarding determination of protein-level variation and PTMs, including some paradoxes present in the field today. We use this framework to assess existing data and to ask the question, "How many distinct primary structures of proteins (proteoforms) are created from the 20,300 human genes?" We also explore prospects for improving measurements to better regularize protein-level biology and efficiently associate PTMs to function and phenotype.
PubMed 29443976
DOI 10.1038/nchembio.2576
Crossref 10.1038/nchembio.2576
pii: nchembio.2576
pmc: PMC5837046
mid: NIHMS944956