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GBMSDG Meeting Archives

September 17, 2009

Guest Speaker
Professor Jonathan V. Sweedler
University of Illinois

Multidimensional Fractionation Strategies
for Quantitative Proteomics

Location
Boston University School of Medicine

Sponsored by
Bruker Daltonics

Special thanks to Bruker for sponsoring this event. It is the active participation of our sponsors that allows us to keep the fees for membership, dinners, drinks, speakers, etc. so low.

Presentation Abstract

Understanding the functioning of the brain is hampered by a lack of knowledge of the full complement of its signaling molecules, as well as the spatial and temporal interplay of these chemical systems. Mass spectrometry is ideally suited to characterize neuropeptides and hormones, which often become bioactive only after particular post-translational modifications. Several neuropeptidome applications related to cell-cell signaling molecules are highlighted using a variety of high resolution electrospray ionization LC-MS approaches. Using capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry, the cellular metabolome is measured and related to cell function; as one example, we demonstrate the use of capillary electrophoresis with an ultra-high resolution tandem TOF MS platform for profiling the metabolites and transmitters within individual neurons. Using MALDI-TOF/TOF MS, neuropeptides and hormones are identified directly from tissues including single cells and even individual neuronal processes. Mass spectrometric imaging methods are described that can provide spatial maps of the neuropeptides found in well defined neuronal networks. Using these techniques, multiple neuroactive compounds have been discovered in a range of model organisms ranging from mollusks, insects to vertebrates. Several sampling approaches for mass spectrometry are described that allow the activity dependent release of peptides from select brain regions to be measured. This suite to ultrasensitive mass spectrometry measurement tools allow cell-cell signaling to be followed with unprecedented detail.

About Jonathan Sweedler

Professor Jonathan V. Sweedler holds the James R. Eiszner Family Chair in Chemistry at the University of Illinois, is associated with the Beckman Institute, is the director of the UIUC Carver Biotechnology Center, and has appointments in the Neuroscience Program, the Department of Physiology and the Bioengineering Program. His research interests are in bioanalytical chemistry, and focus on new metabolomic and peptidomic technologies for assaying small volume samples, and in applying these methods to study novel neurochemistry. Using this suite of technologies, he is investigating novel neurochemical pathways, and the roles that peptide hormones, neurotransmitters and neuromodulatory agents play in behavior, learning and memory. He has received numerous awards including the Merck Prize, the Instrumentation Award from the Analytical Division of the American Chemical Society, the Gill Prize and the Benedetti-Pichler Award for Microanalysis, and he is an associate editor for Analytical Chemistry.