Abstract
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Quantitative
measurement of proteins is one of the most fundamental analytical
tasks in a biochemistry laboratory, but widely used immunochemical
methods often have limited specificity and high measurement variation.
In this review, we discuss applications of multiple-reaction monitoring
(MRM) mass spectrometry, which allows sensitive, precise quantitative
analyses of peptides and the proteins from which they are derived.
Systematic development of MRM assays is permitted by databases of
peptide mass spectra and sequences, software tools for analysis design
and data analysis, and rapid evolution of tandem mass spectrometer
technology. Key advantages of MRM assays are the ability to target
specific peptide sequences, including variants and modified forms,
and the capacity for multiplexing that allows analysis of dozens to
hundreds of peptides. Different quantitative standardization methods
provide options that balance precision, sensitivity, and assay cost.
Targeted protein quantitation by MRM and related mass spectrometry
methods can advance biochemistry by transforming approaches to protein
measurement.
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