Phospho-profiling

Mass spectrometry can monitor global changes in tyrosine phosphorylation patterns.

Written byJonathan Weitzman
| 1 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
1:00
Share

In the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Arthur Salomon and colleagues describe a sensitive methodology exploiting multidimensional liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for measuring dynamic phosphotyrosine modifications (PNAS, DOI:10.1073/pnas.2436191100, January 6, 2003).

The approach has several advantages over conventional 2D-gel electrophoresis techniques. Whole cell extracts are first enriched for phosphotyrosine-containing polypeptides by immunoprecipitation using a specific anti-phosphotyrosine antibody. After tryptic digestion, samples were further enriched by methyl esterification and immobilized metal affinity chromatography. Reversed phase HPLC and tandem mass spectrometry methods allowed unambiguous assignment of many sites of tyrosine phosphorylation.

Salomon et al. tested the technique by looking at tyrosine phosphorylation events following T cell receptor ligation in Jurkat cells or BCR-ABL signaling in leukemia cells. A large number of the phosphotyrosine sites that they identified have been previously found using more traditional methods.

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here

Meet the Author

Share
December digest cover image of a wooden sculpture comprised of multiple wooden neurons that form a seahorse.
December 2025, Issue 1

Wooden Neurons: An Artistic Vision of the Brain

A neurobiologist, who loves the morphology of cells, turns these shapes into works of art made from wood.

View this Issue
Stacks of cell culture dishes, plates, and flasks with pink cell culture medium on a white background.

Driving Innovation with Cell Culture Essentials

Merck
Stacks of cell culture dishes, plates, and flasks with pink cell culture medium on a white background.

Driving Innovation with Cell Culture Essentials

MilliporeSigma purple logo
Abstract wireframe sphere with colorful dots and connecting lines representing the complex cellular and molecular interactions within the tumor microenvironment.

Exploring the Inflammatory Tumor Microenvironment 

Cellecta logo
An image of a DNA sequencing spectrum with a radial blur filter applied.

A Comprehensive Guide to Next-Generation Sequencing

Integra Logo

Products

brandtech logo

BRANDTECH® Scientific Announces Strategic Partnership with Copia Scientific to Strengthen Sales and Service of the BRAND® Liquid Handling Station (LHS) 

Top Innovations 2026 Contest Image

Enter Our 2026 Top Innovations Contest

Biotium Logo

Biotium Expands Tyramide Signal Amplification Portfolio with Brighter and More Stable Dyes for Enhanced Spatial Imaging

Labvantage Logo

LabVantage Solutions Awarded $22.3 Million U.S Customs and Border Protection Contract to Deliver Next-Generation Forensic LIMS