© HENNING DALHOFF/SCIENCE SOURCE
Cellular factories perform their functions by localizing and trafficking proteins into compartments where they can serve specific purposes. Because of this, a protein’s subcellular coordinates offer valuable clues about its activities.
Scientists can visualize protein distribution within cells using super-resolution microscopy—either by tagging proteins with fluorescent probes or by using antibodies. But such methods are typically not scalable and require researchers to restrict their choice of proteins to a known set.
Unbiased mass spectrometry–based proteomic methods offer a broader look, and researchers appreciate the accuracy, specificity, and scale they afford. Recently scientists have adapted the approach to study protein activity at the sub-cellular level. Dubbed spatial proteomics, this new methodology allows researchers to create detailed cellular maps and peek into the hidden life of proteins—where ...
