logic CBD News: Statement by Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, at the opening of the Thematic Workshop on Area-Based Conservation Measures, La Prairie, Canada, 1-3 December 2019 By www.cbd.int Published On :: Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Statement by Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of the meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Invasive Alien Species, Montreal, 2-4 December 2019 By www.cbd.int Published On :: Mon, 02 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Statement by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of World Soil Day 2019 By www.cbd.int Published On :: Thu, 05 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Statement by Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity, at the fifty-seventh meeting of the Council of the Global Environment Facility, Wednesday, 18 December 2019, Washington D.C., United States By www.cbd.int Published On :: Wed, 18 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD Notification SCBD/SSSF/AS/JMP/VA/JB/88614 (2020-008): Twenty-fourth Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 24), 18 to 23 May 2020 and Third Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 3), 25 By www.cbd.int Published On :: Fri, 17 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD Notification SCBD/SSSF/AS/CC/VA/88615 (2020-009): Thematic Consultation on the Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, 30 March - 1 April 2020 - Bern, Switzerland By www.cbd.int Published On :: Mon, 20 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD Notification SCBD/OES/DAIN/MB/FD/88610 (2020-007): Theme for the International Day for Biological Diversity 2020 By www.cbd.int Published On :: Mon, 20 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Twenty years ago, on 29 January 2000, Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The Cartagena Protocol entered into force on 11 September 2003. By www.cbd.int Published On :: Wed, 29 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Statement by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of World Wetlands Day By www.cbd.int Published On :: Fri, 31 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Due to the ongoing situation following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in consultation with the Government of the People's Republic of China, the COP (Conference of By www.cbd.int Published On :: Fri, 31 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Statement by Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity, for the opening of the Second Meeting of the Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, Monday, 24 February 2020, Rome By www.cbd.int Published On :: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD Notification SCBD/SSSF/AS/SBG/CC/VA/88724 (2020-024): Peer review of draft documents for the twenty-fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 24) By www.cbd.int Published On :: Tue, 25 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD Notification SCBD/OES/EM/DC/88726 (2020-025): Registration and Credentials for Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 15), Tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting By www.cbd.int Published On :: Mon, 02 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Statement by Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, at the opening of the Subregional Exchange for the Caribbean on the Restoration of Forests and Other Ecosystems, 9-13 March 2020 By www.cbd.int Published On :: Mon, 09 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Due to the evolving nature of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has moved to hold many meetings virtually and has postponed others. By www.cbd.int Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD Notification SCBD/OES/EM/DC/88792 (2020-033): Dates and venue: Twenty-fourth Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 24), 17 to 22 August 2020, and Third Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation By www.cbd.int Published On :: Tue, 31 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Two meetings of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) permanent subsidiary bodies originally scheduled for May 2020 and then rescheduled for August/September 2020 will now take place in August 2020. By www.cbd.int Published On :: Thu, 02 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Statement by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of World Health Day By www.cbd.int Published On :: Tue, 07 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD Notification SCBD/OES/DAIN/MB/FD/88610 (2020-035): Logo for the International Day for Biological Diversity 2020: "Our solutions are in nature" By www.cbd.int Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic CBD News: Statement by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of Earth Day By www.cbd.int Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT Full Article
logic Topological Phases of Matter and Quantum Computation By www.ams.org Published On :: Fri, 27 Mar 2020 09:39 EDT Paul Bruillard, Carlos Ortiz Marrero and Julia Plavnik, editors. American Mathematical Society, 2020, CONM, volume 747, approx. 240 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4704-4074-9 (print), 978-1-4704-5457-9 (online). This volume contains the proceedings of the AMS Special Session on Topological Phases of Matter and Quantum Computation, held from September... Full Article
logic Indecomposable objects determined by their index in higher homological algebra By www.ams.org Published On :: Thu, 02 Apr 2020 13:59 EDT Joseph Reid Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 148 (2020), 2331-2343. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
logic Kai Tak archaeological expo set By www.news.gov.hk Published On :: Mon, 23 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0800 About 200 archaeological Song-Yuan period finds unearthed at Kai Tak will go on display in an exhibition at the Heritage Discovery Centre from tomorrow until February 26. Following the closure of Kai Tak Airport in 1998, the planning work for the Kai Tak Development Area created opportunities for archaeological studies around the former Sacred Hill in Kowloon Bay. An abundance of Song-Yuan period cultural remains were subsequently unearthed, including a huge amount of ceramics produced by various kilns in Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi. Similar products from the same period were exported widely and could be found in shipwrecks along the maritime ceramics route. Highlights of the Treasures from the Sacred Hill: Song-Yuan Period Archaeological Discoveries from Kai Tak exhibition include green glazed incense burners with an eight trigrams pattern and a green glazed dish with a moulded double fish pattern produced by Longquan Kiln. Other highlights include a brown glazed dragon jar with lugs and a green glazed basin with a phoenix pattern produced by Cizao Kiln and a Daguan Tongbao bronze coin. Ceramics from the same period on loan from the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong will also be displayed. Curated by the Antiquities & Monuments Office, admission to the exhibition is free. Call 2208 4400 for details. Full Article
logic Math in the Media - May 2020:John Conway, "magical mathematician", Topological analysis of zebrafish, teaching online... By www.ams.org Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 00:00:00 EST Full Article
logic Correction: Metabolic fingerprinting for diagnosis of fibromyalgia and other rheumatologic disorders. [Additions and Corrections] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-04-24T06:08:45-07:00 VOLUME 294 (2019) PAGES 2555–2568Due to publisher error, “150 l/mm” was changed to “150 liters/mm” in the second paragraph of the “Vibrational spectroscopy of samples” section under “Experimental Procedures.” The correct phrase should be “150 l/mm.” Full Article
logic Meteorological dev't plan welcomed By www.news.gov.hk Published On :: Wed, 29 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0800 The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today welcomed the promulgation of the Meteorological Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (2020-2035) by the China Meteorological Administration. In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said the promulgation of the plan would further strengthen meteorological co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau in areas such as data sharing, scientific research and innovation, and training of meteorological personnel. Such co-operation would in turn enhance the meteorological services in the three places, it added. The relevant co-operation initiatives will benefit the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) in its development of fine-scale meteorological monitoring, warning and forecasting services, and will further enhance Hong Kong's capability in forecasting extreme weather events, the statement said, adding the HKO will take forward the initiatives in collaboration with the relevant authorities in Guangdong and Macau. The full text of the meteorological plan is available on the China Meteorological Administration's website. It can also be accessed via the Hong Kong SAR Government's Greater Bay Area and HKO websites. Full Article
logic Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Meteorological Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (2020-2035), Meteorological Plan, China Meteorological Administration By www.hko.gov.hk Published On :: The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government welcomes the promulgation of the Meteorological Development Plan ... Full Article I
logic A hydrological model leads to advances in the creation of a world water map By www.eurekalert.org Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 00:00:00 EDT (University of Córdoba) The University of Cordoba participated in the first shaping of a hydrological model on a basin scale as a global model to advance in world hydrological predictions. Full Article
logic Demographic expansion of several Amazonian archaeological cultures by computer simulation By www.eurekalert.org Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 00:00:00 EDT (Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona) Expansions by groups of humans were common during prehistoric times, after the adoption of agriculture. Among other factors, this is due to population growth of farmers which was greater than of that hunter-gatherers. We can find one example of this during the Neolithic period, when farming was introduced to Europe by migrations from the Middle East. Full Article
logic A review on phytochemistry, pharmacological action, ethanobotanical uses and nutritional potential By www.eurekalert.org Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 00:00:00 EDT (Bentham Science Publishers) This comprehensive review presented by researchers from K.S. Rangasamy College of Arts and Science, Tiruchengode, Tamil-Nadu, India, gives readers a brief overview of phytoconstituents, nutritional values and medicinal properties of the plant. Full Article
logic Deciphering the hidden interactions within biological networks of varying sizes By www.eurekalert.org Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 00:00:00 EDT (University of Tsukuba) Researchers from the University of Tsukuba discovered that fish schools showed a significant change in behavior with varying school sizes. Using integrated information theory, they showed that a significant change in the interaction between the fish and the overall collective behavior occurred between three- and four-fish schools, including the emergence of leadership within the group. These findings help understand the dynamics of collective behavior. Full Article
logic Virtual Issue: Technological Innovations By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-04-01 Anne-Claude GingrasApr 1, 2020; 19:572-573Editorial Full Article
logic Strengthening Urban Preparedness and Resilience Against Biological Threats in Accra By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 23 Jan 2019 17:40:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 1 March 2019 - 10:30am to 2 March 2019 - 3:00pm Chatham House, London Capacity to contain and respond to biological threats varies considerably across the world. Yet such preparedness is vital for prevention, impact-reduction and resilience in the face of biological events, whether they be natural or deliberate outbreaks.Chatham House is conducting a series of meetings to strengthen urban preparedness for, and resilience against, biological threats in African countries. This meeting will examine the preparedness and prevention mechanisms in Accra, reviewing the comprehensiveness of city-level preparedness. This meeting will focus on the formation and implementation of city-level action plans in the context of preparedness for managing biological threats. It will also explore how local authorities are contributing to this effort with their knowledge and expertise.Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Department/project International Security Programme, Strengthening Urban Preparedness and Resilience against Biological Threats Nilza Amaral Project Manager, International Security Programme Email Full Article
logic Biokinetics of Radiolabeled Monoclonal Antibody BC8: Differences in Biodistribution and Dosimetry among Hematologic Malignancies. By jnm.snmjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-13T14:12:30-07:00 We reviewed 111In-DOTA-anti-CD45 antibody (BC8) imaging and bone marrow biopsy measurements to ascertain biodistribution and biokinetics of the radiolabeled antibody and to investigate differences based on type of hematologic malignancy. Methods: Serial whole-body scintigraphic images (4 time-points) were obtained after infusion of the 111In-DOTA-BC8 (176-406 MBq) in 52 adult patients with hematologic malignancies (lymphoma, multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome). Counts were obtained for the regions of interest for spleen, liver, kidneys, testicles (in males), and two marrow sites (acetabulum and sacrum) and correction for attenuation and background was made. Bone marrow biopsies were obtained 14-24 hours post-infusion and percent of administered activity was determined. Radiation absorbed doses were calculated. Results: Initial uptake in liver averaged 32% ± 8.4% (S.D.) of administered activity (52 patients), which cleared monoexponentially with biological half-time of 293 ± 157 hours (33 patients) or did not clear (19 patients). Initial uptake in spleen averaged 22% ± 12% and cleared with a biological half-time 271 ± 185 hours (36 patients) or longer (6 patients). Initial uptake in kidney averaged 2.4% ± 2.0% and cleared with a biological half-time of 243 ± 144 hours (27 patients) or longer (9 patients). Initial uptake in red marrow averaged 23% ± 11% and cleared with half-times of 215 ± 107 hours (43 patients) or longer (5 patients). Whole-body retention half-times averaged 198 ± 75 hours. Splenic uptake was higher in the AML/MDS group when compared to the lymphoma group (p ≤ 0.05) and to the multiple myeloma group (p ≤ 0.10). Liver represented the dose-limiting organ. For liver uptake, no significant differences were observed between the three malignancy groups. Average calculated radiation absorbed doses per unit administered activity for a therapy infusions of 90Y-DOTA-BC8 were for red marrow: 470 ± 260 cGy/MBq, liver 1100 ± 330 cGy/MBq, spleen 4120 ± 1950 cGy/MBq, total body 7520 ± 20 cGy/MBq, osteogenic cells 290 ± 200 cGy/MBq, and kidneys 240 ± 200 cGy/MBqR. Conclusion: 111In-DOTA-BC8 had long retention time in liver, spleen, kidneys, and red marrow, and the highest absorbed doses were calculated for spleen and liver. Few differences were observed by malignancy type. The exception was greater splenic uptake among leukemia/MDS group when compared to lymphoma and multiple myeloma groups. Full Article
logic The Impact of Radiobiologically-Informed Dose Prescription on the Clinical Benefit of Yttrium-90 SIRT in Colorectal Cancer Patients By jnm.snmjournals.org Published On :: 2020-05-01T11:16:57-07:00 The purpose of this study was to establish the dose-response relationship of selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), when informed by radiobiological sensitivity parameters derived from mCRC cell lines exposed to yttrium-90 (90Y). Methods: 23 mCRC patients with liver metastases refractory to chemotherapy were included. 90Y bremsstrahlung SPECT images were transformed into dose maps assuming the local dose deposition method. Baseline and follow-up CT scans were segmented to derive liver and tumor volumes. Mean, median, and D70 (minimum dose to 70% of tumor volume) values determined from dose maps were correlated with change in tumor volume and vRECIST response using linear and logistic regression, respectively. Radiosensitivity parameters determined by clonogenic assays of mCRC cell lines HT-29 and DLD-1 after exposure to 90Y or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT; 6MV photons) were used in biological effective dose (BED) calculations. Results: Mean administered radioactivity was 1469±428 MBq (847-2185 MBq), achieving a mean radiation absorbed tumor dose of 35.5±9.4 Gy and mean normal liver dose of 26.4±6.8 Gy. A 1.0 Gy increase in mean, median, and D70 absorbed dose was associated with reduction in tumor volume of 1.8%, 1.8%, and 1.5%, respectively, and increased probability of vRECIST response (odds ratio: 1.09, 1.09, and 1.10 respectively). Threshold mean, median and D70 doses for response were 48.3, 48.8, and 41.8 Gy respectively. EBRT-equivalent BEDs for 90Y are up to 50% smaller than those calculated by applying protraction-corrected radiobiological parameters derived from EBRT alone. Conclusion: Dosimetric studies have assumed equivalence between 90Y SIRT and EBRT, leading to inflation of BED for SIRT and possible under-treatment. Radiobiological parameters for 90Y were applied to a BED model, providing a calculation method that has the potential to improve assessment of tumor control. Full Article
logic Combining Precursor and Fragment Information for Improved Detection of Differential Abundance in Data Independent Acquisition [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-02-01T00:05:30-08:00 In bottom-up, label-free discovery proteomics, biological samples are acquired in a data-dependent (DDA) or data-independent (DIA) manner, with peptide signals recorded in an intact (MS1) and fragmented (MS2) form. While DDA has only the MS1 space for quantification, DIA contains both MS1 and MS2 at high quantitative quality. DIA profiles of complex biological matrices such as tissues or cells can contain quantitative interferences, and the interferences at the MS1 and the MS2 signals are often independent. When comparing biological conditions, the interferences can compromise the detection of differential peptide or protein abundance and lead to false positive or false negative conclusions. We hypothesized that the combined use of MS1 and MS2 quantitative signals could improve our ability to detect differentially abundant proteins. Therefore, we developed a statistical procedure incorporating both MS1 and MS2 quantitative information of DIA. We benchmarked the performance of the MS1-MS2-combined method to the individual use of MS1 or MS2 in DIA using four previously published controlled mixtures, as well as in two previously unpublished controlled mixtures. In the majority of the comparisons, the combined method outperformed the individual use of MS1 or MS2. This was particularly true for comparisons with low fold changes, few replicates, and situations where MS1 and MS2 were of similar quality. When applied to a previously unpublished investigation of lung cancer, the MS1-MS2-combined method increased the coverage of known activated pathways. Since recent technological developments continue to increase the quality of MS1 signals (e.g. using the BoxCar scan mode for Orbitrap instruments), the combination of the MS1 and MS2 information has a high potential for future statistical analysis of DIA data. Full Article
logic Thorough Performance Evaluation of 213 nm Ultraviolet Photodissociation for Top-down Proteomics [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-02-01T00:05:30-08:00 Top-down proteomics studies intact proteoform mixtures and offers important advantages over more common bottom-up proteomics technologies, as it avoids the protein inference problem. However, achieving complete molecular characterization of investigated proteoforms using existing technologies remains a fundamental challenge for top-down proteomics. Here, we benchmark the performance of ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) using 213 nm photons generated by a solid-state laser applied to the study of intact proteoforms from three organisms. Notably, the described UVPD setup applies multiple laser pulses to induce ion dissociation, and this feature can be used to optimize the fragmentation outcome based on the molecular weight of the analyzed biomolecule. When applied to complex proteoform mixtures in high-throughput top-down proteomics, 213 nm UVPD demonstrated a high degree of complementarity with the most employed fragmentation method in proteomics studies, higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD). UVPD at 213 nm offered higher average proteoform sequence coverage and degree of proteoform characterization (including localization of post-translational modifications) than HCD. However, previous studies have shown limitations in applying database search strategies developed for HCD fragmentation to UVPD spectra which contains up to nine fragment ion types. We therefore performed an analysis of the different UVPD product ion type frequencies. From these data, we developed an ad hoc fragment matching strategy and determined the influence of each possible ion type on search outcomes. By paring down the number of ion types considered in high-throughput UVPD searches from all types down to the four most abundant, we were ultimately able to achieve deeper proteome characterization with UVPD. Lastly, our detailed product ion analysis also revealed UVPD cleavage propensities and determined the presence of a product ion produced specifically by 213 nm photons. All together, these observations could be used to better elucidate UVPD dissociation mechanisms and improve the utility of the technique for proteomic applications. Full Article
logic Mass Spectrometry Based Immunopeptidomics Leads to Robust Predictions of Phosphorylated HLA Class I Ligands [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-02-01T00:05:30-08:00 The presentation of peptides on class I human leukocyte antigen (HLA-I) molecules plays a central role in immune recognition of infected or malignant cells. In cancer, non-self HLA-I ligands can arise from many different alterations, including non-synonymous mutations, gene fusion, cancer-specific alternative mRNA splicing or aberrant post-translational modifications. Identifying HLA-I ligands remains a challenging task that requires either heavy experimental work for in vivo identification or optimized bioinformatics tools for accurate predictions. To date, no HLA-I ligand predictor includes post-translational modifications. To fill this gap, we curated phosphorylated HLA-I ligands from several immunopeptidomics studies (including six newly measured samples) covering 72 HLA-I alleles and retrieved a total of 2,066 unique phosphorylated peptides. We then expanded our motif deconvolution tool to identify precise binding motifs of phosphorylated HLA-I ligands. Our results reveal a clear enrichment of phosphorylated peptides among HLA-C ligands and demonstrate a prevalent role of both HLA-I motifs and kinase motifs on the presentation of phosphorylated peptides. These data further enabled us to develop and validate the first predictor of interactions between HLA-I molecules and phosphorylated peptides. Full Article
logic MaXLinker: Proteome-wide Cross-link Identifications with High Specificity and Sensitivity [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-03-01T00:05:26-08:00 Protein-protein interactions play a vital role in nearly all cellular functions. Hence, understanding their interaction patterns and three-dimensional structural conformations can provide crucial insights about various biological processes and underlying molecular mechanisms for many disease phenotypes. Cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) has the unique capability to detect protein-protein interactions at a large scale along with spatial constraints between interaction partners. The inception of MS-cleavable cross-linkers enabled the MS2-MS3 XL-MS acquisition strategy that provides cross-link information from both MS2 and MS3 level. However, the current cross-link search algorithm available for MS2-MS3 strategy follows a "MS2-centric" approach and suffers from a high rate of mis-identified cross-links. We demonstrate the problem using two new quality assessment metrics ["fraction of mis-identifications" (FMI) and "fraction of interprotein cross-links from known interactions" (FKI)]. We then address this problem, by designing a novel "MS3-centric" approach for cross-link identification and implementing it as a search engine named MaXLinker. MaXLinker outperforms the currently popular search engine with a lower mis-identification rate, and higher sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, we performed human proteome-wide cross-linking mass spectrometry using K562 cells. Employing MaXLinker, we identified a comprehensive set of 9319 unique cross-links at 1% false discovery rate, comprising 8051 intraprotein and 1268 interprotein cross-links. Finally, we experimentally validated the quality of a large number of novel interactions identified in our study, providing a conclusive evidence for MaXLinker's robust performance. Full Article
logic Concentration Determination of >200 Proteins in Dried Blood Spots for Biomarker Discovery and Validation [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-03-01T00:05:26-08:00 The use of protein biomarkers as surrogates for clinical endpoints requires extensive multilevel validation including development of robust and sensitive assays for precise measurement of protein concentration. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) is a well-established mass-spectrometric method that can be used for reproducible protein-concentration measurements in biological specimens collected via microsampling. The dried blood spot (DBS) microsampling technique can be performed non-invasively without the expertise of a phlebotomist, and can enhance analyte stability which facilitate the application of this technique in retrospective studies while providing lower storage and shipping costs, because cold-chain logistics can be eliminated. Thus, precise, sensitive, and multiplexed methods for measuring protein concentrations in DBSs can be used for de novo biomarker discovery and for biomarker quantification or verification experiments. To achieve this goal, MRM assays were developed for multiplexed concentration measurement of proteins in DBSs. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was found to have a median total coefficient of variation (CV) of 18% for 245 proteins, whereas the median LLOQ was 5 fmol of peptide injected on column, and the median inter-day CV over 4 days for measuring endogenous protein concentration was 8%. The majority (88%) of the assays displayed parallelism, whereas the peptide standards remained stable throughout the assay workflow and after exposure to multiple freeze-thaw cycles. For 190 proteins, the measured protein concentrations remained stable in DBS stored at ambient laboratory temperature for up to 2 months. Finally, the developed assays were used to measure the concentration ranges for 200 proteins in twenty same sex, same race and age matched individuals. Full Article
logic Tandem Mass Tag Approach Utilizing Pervanadate BOOST Channels Delivers Deeper Quantitative Characterization of the Tyrosine Phosphoproteome [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-04-01T00:05:32-07:00 Dynamic tyrosine phosphorylation is fundamental to a myriad of cellular processes. However, the inherently low abundance of tyrosine phosphorylation in the proteome and the inefficient enrichment of phosphotyrosine(pTyr)-containing peptides has led to poor pTyr peptide identification and quantitation, critically hindering researchers' ability to elucidate signaling pathways regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation in systems where cellular material is limited. The most popular approaches to wide-scale characterization of the tyrosine phosphoproteome use pTyr enrichment with pan-specific, anti-pTyr antibodies from a large amount of starting material. Methods that decrease the amount of starting material and increase the characterization depth of the tyrosine phosphoproteome while maintaining quantitative accuracy and precision would enable the discovery of tyrosine phosphorylation networks in rarer cell populations. To achieve these goals, the BOOST (Broad-spectrum Optimization Of Selective Triggering) method leveraging the multiplexing capability of tandem mass tags (TMT) and the use of pervanadate (PV) boost channels (cells treated with the broad-spectrum tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor PV) selectively increased the relative abundance of pTyr-containing peptides. After PV boost channels facilitated selective fragmentation of pTyr-containing peptides, TMT reporter ions delivered accurate quantitation of each peptide for the experimental samples while the quantitation from PV boost channels was ignored. This method yielded up to 6.3-fold boost in pTyr quantification depth of statistically significant data derived from contrived ratios, compared with TMT without PV boost channels or intensity-based label-free (LF) quantitation while maintaining quantitative accuracy and precision, allowing quantitation of over 2300 unique pTyr peptides from only 1 mg of T cell receptor-stimulated Jurkat T cells. The BOOST strategy can potentially be applied in analyses of other post-translational modifications where treatments that broadly elevate the levels of those modifications across the proteome are available. Full Article
logic A Compact Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer with FAIMS Interface Improves Proteome Coverage in Short LC Gradients [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-04-01T00:05:32-07:00 State-of-the-art proteomics-grade mass spectrometers can measure peptide precursors and their fragments with ppm mass accuracy at sequencing speeds of tens of peptides per second with attomolar sensitivity. Here we describe a compact and robust quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometer equipped with a front-end High Field Asymmetric Waveform Ion Mobility Spectrometry (FAIMS) Interface. The performance of the Orbitrap Exploris 480 mass spectrometer is evaluated in data-dependent acquisition (DDA) and data-independent acquisition (DIA) modes in combination with FAIMS. We demonstrate that different compensation voltages (CVs) for FAIMS are optimal for DDA and DIA, respectively. Combining DIA with FAIMS using single CVs, the instrument surpasses 2500 peptides identified per minute. This enables quantification of >5000 proteins with short online LC gradients delivered by the Evosep One LC system allowing acquisition of 60 samples per day. The raw sensitivity of the instrument is evaluated by analyzing 5 ng of a HeLa digest from which >1000 proteins were reproducibly identified with 5 min LC gradients using DIA-FAIMS. To demonstrate the versatility of the instrument, we recorded an organ-wide map of proteome expression across 12 rat tissues quantified by tandem mass tags and label-free quantification using DIA with FAIMS to a depth of >10,000 proteins. Full Article
logic A Quantitative Tri-fluorescent Yeast Two-hybrid System: From Flow Cytometry to In cellula Affinities [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-04-01T00:05:32-07:00 We present a technological advancement for the estimation of the affinities of Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) in living cells. A novel set of vectors is introduced that enables a quantitative yeast two-hybrid system based on fluorescent fusion proteins. The vectors allow simultaneous quantification of the reaction partners (Bait and Prey) and the reporter at the single-cell level by flow cytometry. We validate the applicability of this system on a small but diverse set of PPIs (eleven protein families from six organisms) with different affinities; the dissociation constants range from 117 pm to 17 μm. After only two hours of reaction, expression of the reporter can be detected even for the weakest PPI. Through a simple gating analysis, it is possible to select only cells with identical expression levels of the reaction partners. As a result of this standardization of expression levels, the mean reporter levels directly reflect the affinities of the studied PPIs. With a set of PPIs with known affinities, it is straightforward to construct an affinity ladder that permits rapid classification of PPIs with thus far unknown affinities. Conventional software can be used for this analysis. To permit automated analysis, we provide a graphical user interface for the Python-based FlowCytometryTools package. Full Article
logic Virtual Issue: Technological Innovations [Editorials] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-04-01T00:05:32-07:00 Full Article
logic WITHDRAWN: The Fundamental And Pathological Importance Of Oxysterol Binding Protein And Its Related Proteins [Thematic Reviews] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2018-10-15T08:42:37-07:00 This article has been withdrawn by the authors as part of this review overlapped with the contents of Pietrangelo A and Ridgway ND. 2018. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 75; 3079-98. Full Article
logic LDL subclass lipidomics in atherogenic dyslipidemia:Effect of statin therapy on bioactive lipids and dense LDL [Patient-Oriented and Epidemiological Research] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-04-15T11:30:30-07:00 Atherogenic LDL particles are physicochemically and metabolically heterogeneous. Can bioactive lipid cargo differentiate LDL subclasses, and thus potential atherogenicity? What is the effect of statin treatment? Obese, hypertriglyceridemic, hypercholesterolemic males (n=12; Lp(a) <10 mg/dL) received pitavastatin calcium (4mg/day) for 180 days in a single-phase, unblinded study. The lipidomic profiles (23 lipid classes) of five LDL subclasses fractionated from baseline and post-statin plasmas were determined by LC-MS. At baseline and on statin treatment, very small dense LDL (LDL5) was preferentially enriched (up to 3-fold) in specific lysophospholipids (lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC); lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI); lyso-platelet activating factor (LPC(O)); 9,0.2 and 0.14 mol/mol apoB respectively; all p<0.001 versus LDL1-4), suggesting elevated inflammatory potential per particle. In contrast, lysophosphatidylethanolamine was uniformly distributed among LDL subclasses. Statin treatment markedly reduced absolute plasma concentrations of all LDL subclasses (up to 33.5%), including LPC, LPI and LPC(O) contents (up to -52%), consistent with reduction in cardiovascular risk. Despite such reductions, lipotoxic ceramide load per particle in LDL1-5 (1.5 - 3 mol/mol apoB; 3 - 7 mmol/mol phosphatidylcholine) was either conserved or elevated. Bioactive lipids may constitute biomarkers for the cardiometabolic risk associated with specific LDL subclasses in atherogenic dyslipidemia at baseline, and with residual risk on statin therapy. Full Article
logic MaxQuant software for ion mobility enhanced shotgun proteomics [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-03-10T07:35:19-07:00 Ion mobility can add a dimension to LC-MS based shotgun proteomics which has the potential to boost proteome coverage, quantification accuracy and dynamic range. Required for this is suitable software that extracts the information contained in the four-dimensional (4D) data space spanned by m/z, retention time, ion mobility and signal intensity. Here we describe the ion mobility enhanced MaxQuant software, which utilizes the added data dimension. It offers an end to end computational workflow for the identification and quantification of peptides and proteins in LC-IMS-MS/MS shotgun proteomics data. We apply it to trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) analyzer. A highly parallelizable 4D feature detection algorithm extracts peaks which are assembled to isotope patterns. Masses are recalibrated with a non-linear m/z, retention time, ion mobility and signal intensity dependent model, based on peptides from the sample. A new matching between runs (MBR) algorithm that utilizes collisional cross section (CCS) values of MS1 features in the matching process significantly gains specificity from the extra dimension. Prerequisite for using CCS values in MBR is a relative alignment of the ion mobility values between the runs. The missing value problem in protein quantification over many samples is greatly reduced by CCS aware MBR.MS1 level label-free quantification is also implemented which proves to be highly precise and accurate on a benchmark dataset with known ground truth. MaxQuant for LC-IMS-MS/MS is part of the basic MaxQuant release and can be downloaded from http://maxquant.org. Full Article
logic DEqMS: a method for accurate variance estimation in differential protein expression analysis [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-03-23T12:35:18-07:00 Quantitative proteomics by mass spectrometry is widely used in biomarker research and basic biology research for investigation of phenotype level cellular events. Despite the wide application, the methodology for statistical analysis of differentially expressed proteins has not been unified. Various methods such as t-test, linear model and mixed effect models are used to define changes in proteomics experiments. However, none of these methods consider the specific structure of MS-data. Choices between methods, often originally developed for other types of data, are based on compromises between features such as statistical power, general applicability and user friendliness. Furthermore, whether to include proteins identified with one peptide in statistical analysis of differential protein expression varies between studies. Here we present DEqMS, a robust statistical method developed specifically for differential protein expression analysis in mass spectrometry data. In all datasets investigated there is a clear dependence of variance on the number of PSMs or peptides used for protein quantification. DEqMS takes this feature into account when assessing differential protein expression. This allows for a more accurate data-dependent estimation of protein variance and inclusion of single peptide identifications without increasing false discoveries. The method was tested in several datasets including E.coli proteome spike-in data, using both label-free and TMT-labelled quantification. In comparison to previous statistical methods used in quantitative proteomics, DEqMS showed consistently better accuracy in detecting altered protein levels compared to other statistical methods in both label-free and labelled quantitative proteomics data. DEqMS is available as an R package in Bioconductor. Full Article
logic Immunopeptidomic analysis reveals that deamidated HLA-bound peptides arise predominantly from deglycosylated precursors [Technological Innovation and Resources] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-01T11:35:42-07:00 The presentation of post-translationally modified (PTM) peptides by cell surface HLA molecules has the potential to increase the diversity of targets for surveilling T cells. Whilst immunopeptidomics studies routinely identify thousands of HLA-bound peptides from cell lines and tissue samples, in-depth analyses of the proportion and nature of peptides bearing one or more PTMs remains challenging. Here we have analyzed HLA-bound peptides from a variety of allotypes and assessed the distribution of mass spectrometry-detected PTMs, finding deamidation of asparagine or glutamine to be highly prevalent. Given that asparagine deamidation may arise either spontaneously or through enzymatic reaction, we assessed allele-specific and global motifs flanking the modified residues. Notably, we found that the N-linked glycosylation motif NX(S/T) was highly abundant across asparagine-deamidated HLA-bound peptides. This finding, demonstrated previously for a handful of deamidated T cell epitopes, implicates a more global role for the retrograde transport of nascently N-glycosylated polypeptides from the ER and their subsequent degradation within the cytosol to form HLA-ligand precursors. Chemical inhibition of Peptide:N-Glycanase (PNGase), the endoglycosidase responsible for the removal of glycans from misfolded and retrotranslocated glycoproteins, greatly reduced presentation of this subset of deamidated HLA-bound peptides. Importantly, there was no impact of PNGase inhibition on peptides not containing a consensus NX(S/T) motif. This indicates that a large proportion of HLA-I bound asparagine deamidated peptides are generated from formerly glycosylated proteins that have undergone deglycosylation via the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway. The information herein will help train deamidation prediction models for HLA-peptide repertoires and aid in the design of novel T cell therapeutic targets derived from glycoprotein antigens. Full Article