First Comprehensive Study of Proteins Inside a Single Type of Cell

Newswise — Scientists have provided the first large-scale study of proteins inside human cells called Jurkat T cells. The study, which appears in the August issue of Molecular & Cellular Proteomics (http://www.mcponline.org/), could lead to a better understanding of how proteins inside a specific type of cell work together and may pave the way for future detailed studies of how proteins work in other types of cells.

Past studies have been performed in model organisms such as yeast and different organelles from mice, but no comprehensive analysis of a single type of human cell has been carried out to date. David K. Han and colleagues report a survey of proteins present in Jurkat T cells, which are derived from human T-cell leukemia and is one of the popular types of cells used to study how proteins work inside cells in general.

The scientists identified over 6,400 proteins in a Jurkat T cell and localized them in various parts of the cell. This information will help to understand how proteins move and interact with one another inside the cell and how they perform various cellular functions. The study is also a proof-of-principle that a large-scale study of approximately half of the expressed proteins in a single human cell type is now possible, although more studies will be needed to investigate less abundant proteins and how proteins interact with one another.

Article: "Global survey of human T leukemic cells by integrating proteomic and transcriptomic profiling," by Linfeng Wu, Sun-Il Hwang, Karim Rezaul, Long J. Lu, Viveka Mayya, Mark Gerstein, Jimmy K. Eng, Deborah H. Lundgren, and David K. Han (http://www.mcponline.org/cgi/content/abstract/6/8/1343)

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization with over 11,900 members in the United States and internationally. Most members teach and conduct research at colleges and universities. Others conduct research in various government laboratories, nonprofit research institutions and industry. The Society's student members attend undergraduate or graduate institutions.

Founded in 1906, the Society is based in Bethesda, Maryland, on the campus of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. The Society's purpose is to advance the science of biochemistry and molecular biology through publication of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the Journal of Lipid Research, and Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, organization of scientific meetings, advocacy for funding of basic research and education, support of science education at all levels, and promoting the diversity of individuals entering the scientific work force. For more information about ASBMB, see the Society's Web site at www.asbmb.org.