Institute for Protein Research

Laboratory for Protein Profiling and Functional Proteomics

Research Programs

1. Development of chemical/analytical methods and software for analysis of protein primary structure.
2. Hardware development for high-sensitivity MS.
3. MS analysis of post-translational modifications.
4. Development of a chemical derivatization method for high-sensitivity detection of sugar chains.
5. Development of chemical and separation methods for proteomic analysis.
6. Studies of the fragmentation of peptides and carbohydrates using MS.

Mass spectrometry (MS) is an excellent technique for analyzing the chemical structures of biological compounds. We develop methods for characterizing the primary structures and post-translational modifications of proteins using MS. In conjunction with the ever-expanding protein and gene sequence databases, we use state-of-the-art MS for large-scale protein identification, which is indispensable for proteomics research. We also apply the methods developed in our group to the structural analysis of microscale quantities of peptides, proteins, and their related substances.

PE : phosphatidylethanolamine.