Proteomics is still a relatively young field of research, which the entirety of all proteins (proteome) take a closer look and try to find out what proteins are in the cells, what functions they have and how they work together. Our entire body is made up of thousands of different proteins. And Enzymes, which also consist of proteins, regulate important metabolic processes.
With the help of proteomics we can create a kind of huge library in which proteins are classified and classified. This gives us a better understanding of the connections in our body and we can understand which processes are disrupted in illnesses or how medications affect the body. In this article we will show you in an understandable way what proteomics is, what it has to do with epigenetics and how we can use this technology.
What is proteomics?
To put it quite soberly, Proteomics is the comprehensive study and analysis of the proteome, i.e. the entirety of all proteins that form a specific part of a cell, a tissue, an organism or a specific biological system time to be expressed. It deals with the identification, quantification, structure, function and interactions of proteins as well as their changes under different conditions.
Through the use of advanced technologies such as mass spectrometry and bioinformatics tools, proteomics aims to gain a detailed understanding of the role of proteins in biological processes and diseases and thus contributes significantly to the development of new diagnostic methods, therapies and the understanding of disease mechanisms.
The proteome as the wardrobe of your life
Proteomics – it could be more understandable?
Admittedly, the complex background of proteomics is not easy to explain. In our article about epigenetics we compared these with the volume controls . For proteomics we can use another analogy: a wardrobe.
Imagine your wardrobe is full to the brim with different items of clothing, each of which fulfills a specific function. Each piece of clothing represents a protein in your body, and the Totality of all proteins (or your closet) is called the proteome .
Similar to a wardrobe, the proteome can be diverse, with a wide range of proteins responsible for different cellular functions and processes. Some proteins are like your favorite clothes that you wear often and that play an important role in your daily life. Here one would speak of essential proteins .
Other proteins are like the rarely worn or seasonal items of clothing that are only needed for certain occasions.
The wardrobe of life
Just as you organize your closet according to your needs and choose certain clothes that suit your style, your body regulates the expression and activity of different proteins depending on the needs and conditions. This process is called proteomics and involves the study and analysis of all proteins in a cell, tissue or organism at a given point in time.
For example, when you exercise, your body can produce proteins that are important for muscle recovery and building new muscle mass. These proteins are activated to meet the specific needs of your workout. Similar to how you might choose your gym clothes to prepare for your training session, your body selects certain proteins to facilitate physiological adaptations to training.
Proteomics allows us to study the complex interaction of proteins in biological systems and to understand how they respond to various environmental factors, diseases or therapeutic interventions. By analyzing the proteome, we can gain insights into how cells and tissues function and discover new possibilities for diagnosing, treating and preventing diseases. To stick with the analogy, we examine which “pieces of clothing” are used in which life situations.
Why do you use proteomics?
Proteomics offers a type of “live insight” into the cell. With genetics we have so far only been able to make the blueprints visible. Through proteomics it is now possible to gain a new perspective. We can see whether proteins are changed again after their translation, e.g.b through phosphorylations or glycosylations. This means we get a more detailed insight into the cell's processes. This allows researchers to better research protein-protein interactions and thus better understand complex biological signaling pathways.
What advantages does proteomics offer?
Proteomics is the next step towards more personalized medicine. In the future, research efforts may make it possible to better identify new biomarkers for diseases or therapeutic target molecules. We can also use proteomics to increase our understanding of how drugs affect the body.
The research is still in its early stages, but there are already some very exciting studies. In this study 36 people with different conditions were tested before and after exercise. The analyzes were extremely extensive, from blood tests to proteome and genetic analyses. The researchers were able to determine that some proteins were suitable as markers for later performance in endurance tests. They also found that people with insulin resistance show an altered response to exercise. A little more research needs to be done before precise treatment approaches can be derived from this, but the results so far are extremely exciting.
How do you measure proteins?
There are different methods to measure proteins. A mass spectrometer is of great importance for proteomics. But how does such a device work?
A mass spectrometer is like a sophisticated balance that sorts tiny particles such as proteins or peptides (short sections of protein) according to their weight. Imagine you have a bag of different sized balls and you want to organize them according to size. A mass spectrometer basically does the same thing, just with molecules. So that you get a better idea of the process behind it, we have presented the individual work steps as simply as possible:
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Step 1: Preparation of the sample
First, the proteins are extracted from a cell or tissue sample. Because proteins are too large and complex to be analyzed directly, they are “broken down” into smaller pieces called peptides through a process called digestion (similar to eating).
Step 2: Ionization
The peptides are then fed into the mass spectrometer, where they are ionized. This means that the peptides become electrically charged, similar to when you rub balloons on your hair and then they “stick” to the wall.
Step 3: Flight through the mass spectrometer
The charged peptides are sent through the mass spectrometer. The device uses electric fields to accelerate the peptides. The lighter a peptide is, the faster it moves through the device. It's like blowing different sizes of balls through a wind tunnel; the smaller ones fly faster than the larger ones.
Step 4: Detection
At the end of the “flight”, the peptides arrive at a detector. The detector measures how quickly each peptide arrived, which indicates its weight (more specifically, the mass-to-charge ratio). This information is presented in a spectrum that looks like a mountain diagram, with peaks corresponding to different peptides.
Step 5: Analysis of the data
The collected data - the mass spectrum - is compared with a database that contains information about known peptides and proteins. Through this comparison, scientists can find out which proteins were present in the sample and in what quantity.
So a mass spectrometer works like a very precise balance, breaking proteins into smaller pieces, charging those pieces electrically, then flying them through a device and measuring how fast they move. This information helps us understand what proteins are present in a cell or tissue and how they function.
Conclusion on proteomics
Proteomics is still a relatively young field of research. One of the first papers on this topic appeared in the renowned Lancet Journal in 2000 under the title: “Preotomics: new perspectives, new biomedical opportunities”.
A lot has happened in research since then. Methods have become increasingly sophisticated and cheaper, which has made it possible to explore proteomics on a larger scale. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), science can better analyze the huge amounts of data and thus discover new biomarkers or develop new therapies with the help of proteomics.
