Proteolytic Post-translational Modification of Proteins: Proteomic Tools and Methodology

Proteolytic processing is a ubiquitous and irreversible post-translational modification involving limited and highly specific hydrolysis of peptide and isopeptide bonds of a protein by a protease. Cleavage generates shorter protein chains displaying neo-N and -C termini, often with new or modified biological activities. Within the past decade, degradomics and terminomics have emerged as significant proteomics subfields dedicated to characterizing proteolysis products as well as natural protein N and C termini. Here we provide an overview of contemporary proteomics-based methods, including specific quantitation, data analysis, and curation considerations, and highlight exciting new and emerging applications within these fields enabling in vivo analysis of proteolytic events. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics 12: 10.1074/ mcp.M113.031310, 3532-3542, 2013. © 2013 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.