A tagging-via-substrate approach to detect the farnesylated proteome using two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled with western blotting

Fredrick O. Onono, Michael A. Morgan, H. Peter Spielmann, Douglas A. Andres, Thangaiah Subramanian, Arnold Ganser, Christoph W.M. Reuter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

Prenylation is a post-translational modification critical for the proper function of multiple physiologically important proteins, including small G-proteins, such as Ras. Methods allowing rapid and selective detection of protein farnesylation and geranylgeranylation are fundamental for the understanding of prenylated protein function and for monitoring efficacy of drugs such as farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs). Although the natural substrates for prenyltransferases are farnesyl pyrophosphate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, farnesyltransferase has been shown to incorporate isoprenoid analogues into protein substrates. In this study, protein prenyltransferase targets were labeled using anilinogeraniol, the alcohol precursor to the unnatural farnesyl pyrophosphate analogue 8-anilinogeranyl diphosphate in a tagging-via-substrate approach. Antibodies specific for the anilinogeranyl moiety were used to detect the anilinogeranyl-modified proteins. Coupling this highly effective labeling/detection method with two-dimensional electrophoresis and subsequent Western blotting allowed simple, rapid analysis of the complex farnesylated proteome. For example, this method elucidated the differential effects induced by two chemically distinct FTIs, BMS-214,662 and L-778,123. Although both FTIs strongly inhibited farnesylation of many proteins such as Lamins, NAP1L1, N-Ras, and H-Ras, only the dual prenylation inhibitor L-778,123 blocked prenylation of Pex19, RhoB, K-Ras, Cdc42, and Rap1. This snapshot approach has significant advantages over traditional techniques, including radiolabeling, anti-farnesyl antibodies, or mass spectroscopy, and enables dynamic analysis of the farnesylated proteome.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)742-751
Number of pages10
JournalMolecular and Cellular Proteomics
Volume9
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2010

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

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