Table 1

Overview of selected protein profiling technologies

Technology
Type of labeling required
Ability to detect many post-translational modifications
Biomolecules that are optimally quantified
Approximate dynamic range (and reference)
Number of proteins/spots quantified (and reference)

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis
Silver staining
Yes
Naturally occurring forms of proteins larger than 10 kDa
10 [9]
1,500 [8]
Differential two-dimensional fluorescence gel electrophoresis (DIGE)
In vitro with Cy2, Cy3 or CY5 fluorophores at primary amines
Yes
Naturally occurring forms of proteins larger than 10 kDa
10,000 [9]
1,100 [51]
SELDI- or MALDI-MS disease biomarker discovery
None
Yes
Naturally occurring forms of proteins smaller than 10 kDa
25
Not applicable
Isotope-coded affinity tag (ICAT) - LC/MS
In vitro with H1/D or C12/C13 ICAT reagent at cysteine
No
Cysteine-containing tryptic peptides from digests of protein extracts
10,000*
496 [18]
N14/N15 - LC/MS
In vivo at nitrogens in amino acids
Yes
Tryptic peptides from digests of protein extracts
10,000 [19]
872 [20]

*Assumed to be similar to that for multidimensional protein identification. Abbreviations: SELDI-MS, surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry; MALDI-MS, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry; LC/MS, liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Greenbaum et al. Genome Biology 2003 4:117   doi:10.1186/gb-2003-4-9-117