Cost-effective isobaric tagging for quantitative phosphoproteomics using DiART reagents

Abstract

We describe the use of an isobaric tagging reagent, Deuterium isobaric Amine Reactive Tag (DiART), for quantitative phosphoproteomic experiments. Using DiART tagged custom mixtures of two phosphorylated peptides from alpha casein and their non-phosphorylated counterparts, we demonstrate the compatibility of DiART with TiO₂ affinity purification of phosphorylated peptides. Comparison of theoretical vs. experimental reporter ion ratios reveals accurate quantification of phosphorylated peptides over a dynamic range of more than 15-fold. Using DiART labelling and TiO₂ enrichment (DiART-TiO₂) with large quantities of proteins (8 mg) from the cell lysate of model fungus Aspergillus nidulans, we quantified 744 unique phosphopeptides. Overlap of median values of TiO₂ enriched phosphopeptides with theoretical values indicates accurate trends. Altogether these findings confirm the feasibility of performing quantitative phosphoproteomic experiments in a cost-effective manner using isobaric tagging reagents, DiART.