Juliusz Bianga

A comparative study of the Se/S substitution in methionine and cysteine in Se-enriched yeast using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS)-assisted proteomics approach

UNLABELLED A proteomics approach based on 2D gel electrophoresis followed by HPLC-electrospray Orbitrap MS/MS was developed to investigate the replacement and the degree of the Se/S substitution in methionine and cysteine in Se-rich yeast. Capillary HPLC-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), employed in parallel to capHPLC-ESI MS, indicated the virtual independence of the ESI MS response of the peptide structure (in the elution range of 30-65% methanol), and hence, the use of ESI MS data to determine the SeCys/Cys and SeMet/Met substitution ratios. For the first time a considerable incorporation of selenocysteine (SeCys) in proteins of the yeast proteome despite the absence of the UGA codon was demonstrated. The SeMet/Met and SeCys/Cys ratios were determined in a large number of peptides (57 and 26, respectively) issued from the tryptic digestion of 19 Se-containing proteins located in the gel by laser ablation-ICP MS imaging. The average Se/S substitution in methionine was 42.9±35.0 and was protein dependent with ratios ranging from 5 to 160 for individual peptides. The substitution of sulphur in cysteine (14.1±4.8%) in the cysteine-containing peptides was relatively similar (ratios from 9 to 23). Taking into account that the cysteine/methionine average ratio (2:1) in the yeast protein fraction, the study allowed the conclusion that 10-15% of selenium present in Se-enriched yeast is in the form of selenocysteine making up the mass balance of selenium species. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE For the first time a considerable incorporation of selenocysteine (SeCys) in proteins of the yeast proteome despite the absence of the UGA codon was demonstrated. It was achieved using a proteomics approach based on 2D gel electrophoresis followed by HPLC-electrospray Orbitrap MS/MS in order to investigate the replacement and the degree of the Se/S substitution in methionine and cysteine in Se-rich yeast.

Characterization of Selenium Incorporation into Wheat Proteins by Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis–Laser Ablation ICP MS followed by capillary HPLC–ICP MS and Electrospray Linear Trap Quadrupole Orbitrap MS

A method has been developed for a rapid and precise location of selenium-containing proteins in large two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis gels. A sample was divided into four aliquots which were analyzed in parallel by 1D isoelectric focusing electrophoresis (IEF)-laser ablation (LA) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS), 1D sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE)-LA ICP MS, and, in duplicate, by 2D IEF-PAGE. On the basis of the 1 D electropherograms obtained, areas supposed to contain the largest concentrations of Se were subjected to LA ICP MS imaging to locate precisely the position of Se-containing proteins which were then identified in the parallel 2D gel by electrospray Orbitrap MS/MS. The method was applied to the identification and semiquantitative determination of selenium storage proteins in wheat. MS evidence is presented for the Se-S substitution in plants not only in methionine but also in cysteine.

Privileged Incorporation of Selenium as Selenocysteine in Lactobacillus reuteri Proteins Demonstrated by Selenium-specific Imaging and Proteomics

An analytical approach was developed to study the incorporation of selenium (Se), an important trace element involved in the protection of cells from oxidative stress, into the well-known probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri Lb2 BM-DSM 16143. The analyses revealed that about half of the internalized Se was covalently incorporated into soluble proteins. Se-enriched proteins were detected in 2D gels by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry imaging (LA-ICP MSI) and identified by capillary HPLC with the parallel ICP MS (78Se) and electrospray Orbitrap MS/MS detection. On the basis of the identification of 10 richest in selenium proteins, it was demonstrated that selenium was incorporated by the strain exclusively as selenocysteine. Also, the exact location of selenocysteine within the primary sequence was determined. This finding is in a striking contrast to another common nutraceutical, Se-enriched yeast, which incorporates Se principally as selenomethionine.

Speciation analysis for trace levels of selenoproteins in cultured human cells

UNLABELLED A semi-quantitative method was developed for the non-targeted detection of trace levels of human selenoproteins in cytoplasmic cell extracts without the use of radioactive isotopes. The method was based on the direct detection of selenoproteins in iso-electrofocusing (IEF) electrophoretic strips by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP MS). The proteins were identified in the non-ablated parts of the gel corresponding to the LA-ICP MS peak apexes by electrospray Orbitrap MS/MS. The method allowed a high resolution of the selenoproteins (peak width 0.06pH unit) using 3-10 pI strips. The protein detection limits were down to 1ngmL(-1) (as Se). The method was applied to the selenoprotein speciation in different human cell lines: Hek293 (kidney), HepG2 (liver), HaCaT (skin) and LNCaP (prostate). The principal proteins found included Selenoprotein 15 (Sep15), Glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1) and Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) and Thioredoxin reductase 1 (TRxR1) and Thioredoxin reductase 2 (TRxR2). BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE Our paper presents the development of a semi-quantitative method for the non-targeted detection of trace levels of human selenoproteins in cytoplasmic cell extracts; it offers a first comprehensive screening of the entire biological selenoproteomes expressed in cell lines without the use of radioactive (75)Se. The method was based on the direct detection of selenoproteins in iso-electrofocusing (IEF) electrophoretic strips by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP MS). The proteins were identified in the non-ablated parts of the gel corresponding to the LA-ICP MS peak apexes by electrospray Orbitrap MS/MS. The method allowed a high resolution of the selenoproteins (peak width 0.06pH unit) using 3-10 pI strips. The protein detection limits were down to 1ngmL(-1) (as Se); by far the lowest ever reported. The method was applied to the selenoprotein speciation in different human cell lines: Hek293 (kidney), HepG2 (liver), HaCaT (skin) and LNCaP (prostate). The principal proteins found included Selenoprotein 15 (Sep15), Glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1) and Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) and Thioredoxin reductase 1 (TRxR1) and Thioredoxin reductase 2 (TRxR2). The IEF-LA-ICPMS indicates the presence of multiple forms of some selenoproteins which are for the moment impossible to distinguish because of the similarity of the bottom-up, proteomics data sets.

Detection of selenoproteins in human cell extracts by laser ablation-ICP MS after separation by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and blotting

Laser ablation-ICP MS was optimized for the sensitive detection of selenoproteins in polyacrylamide gel and PVDF membrane after blotting. For this purpose, two interlaboratory reference samples were prepared: glutathione peroxidase band in the gel and on the membrane, respectively. The optimisation was carried out using two systems: 213 nm laser (Newwave)—Agilent 7500ce ICP MS, and a 1030 nm high repetition rate femtosecond laser with galvanometric optics (Novalase)—PE/SCIEX DRCII. Sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio were benchmarked to those obtained for the same sample by a recently published method in a reference lab. The optimization allowed a 12-fold gain of the S/N ratio during ablation of gels and a 3.5-fold gain in the ablation of blots in comparison with the method using an essentially similar system published by the reference lab. The gain of S/N by increasing ablation surface using the high repetition rate laser was not as spectacular as expected (2.5-fold for the gels and 1.5-fold for the blots) as the background noise increased considerably when a larger surface is ablated due to selenoproteins peak tailing. The study allowed for the first time LA-ICP MS detection of selenoproteins (separated by gel electrophoresis) in human cell extracts with the selenium concentration at the 10 ng ml−1 level.

Probing of bismuth antiulcer drug targets in H. pylori by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A method that allows partial denaturation of protein ligands in Bi- and Zn-protein complexes, leaving the metal coordination centre intact, was developed. It was based on the reduction of the S-S bridges with tris(2-carboxyl)phosphine followed by derivatization with iodoacetamide. Consequently conditions that allow the separation of Bi- and Zn-protein complexes using SDS electrophoresis were found. The separation efficiency was much higher than that in non-denaturating blue native electrophoresis. The method allowed the detection of seven Bi-binding protein candidates in H. pylori treated with bismuth subcitrate, some of which-fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (33.6 kDa), urease alpha subunit (26.4 kDa), and the 16.8 kDa proteins: 30S ribosomal protein S6 and neutrophil activating protein (NapA)-were bio-induced during the treatment. The method also allowed the monitoring of the changes in the Zn-proteome during treatment of H. pylori with the Bi-drug, which was found to increase the concentration of the Zn-binding proteins with particularly strong expression of the urease, S-adenosylmethionine synthetase and the above 16.8 kDa proteins.

Large-scale speciation of selenium in rice proteins using ICP-MS assisted electrospray MS/MS proteomics

A Se-targeted bottom-up proteomics approach was developed for the identification of Se-containing proteins in rice grown naturally on seleniferous soils. The proteins were separated by 2D gel electrophoresis. The position of Se-containing spots was tentatively identified by the correlation between the 1D isoelectrofocusing (IEF) and 1D SDS electropherograms of a sample aliquot and confirmed by (78)Se imaging in the 2D gel. The method was complemented by the ICP-MS assisted shotgun proteomics approach. The proteins were identified by capHPLC with the dual ICP MS and electrospray Orbitrap MS detection. The first ever comprehensive study of rice selenoproteome revealed the presence of selenium, as both selenomethionine (SeMet) and selenocysteine (SeCys) residues, in a dozen proteins including a 19 kDa globulin, granule-bound starch synthase, and the family of glutelin-type seed storage proteins.

ICP-MS-assisted identification of selenium-containing proteins in 2D gels using a new capillary HPLC–ICP MS interface and Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry

An improved instrumental approach is discussed for the identification of Se-containing proteins separated by 2D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A protein, detected in a gel by laser ablation ICP-MS 2D 78Se imaging, was excised from another gel obtained in parallel under identical conditions, and digested with trypsin. Selenium-peptides were detected by capillary HPLC–ICP MS using a new robust commercial interface and an ICP mass spectrometer fitted with a frequency-matching RF generator facilitating work at high concentrations of acetonitrile in the mobile phase. The identification of selenopeptides was carried out by means of hybrid linear quadrupole trap-Orbital trap MS offering a higher intrascan dynamic range and better mass accuracy than the hitherto used Q-TOF (time-of-flight) mass spectrometers. An example of the identification of Se-containing glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-3 in yeast is discussed.

Selenium-regulated hierarchy of human selenoproteome in cancerous and immortalized cells lines

BACKGROUND Selenoproteins (25 genes in human) co-translationally incorporate selenocysteine using a UGA codon, normally used as a stop signal. The human selenoproteome is primarily regulated by selenium bioavailability with a tissue-specific hierarchy. METHODS We investigated the hierarchy of selenoprotein expression in response to selenium concentration variation in four cell lines originating from kidney (HEK293, immortalized), prostate (LNCaP, cancer), skin (HaCaT, immortalized) and liver (HepG2, cancer), using complementary analytical methods. We performed (i) enzymatic activity, (ii) RT-qPCR, (iii) immuno-detection, (iv) selenium-specific mass spectrometric detection after non-radioactive 76Se labeling of selenoproteins, and (v) luciferase-based reporter constructs in various cell extracts. RESULTS We characterized cell-line specific alterations of the selenoproteome in response to selenium variation that, in most of the cases, resulted from a translational control of gene expression. We established that UGA-selenocysteine recoding efficiency, which depends on the nature of the SECIS element, dictates the response to selenium variation. CONCLUSIONS We characterized that selenoprotein hierarchy is cell-line specific with conserved features. This analysis should be done prior to any experiments in a novel cell line. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE We reported a strategy based on complementary methods to evaluate selenoproteome regulation in human cells in culture.