Mass spectrometry in the discovery of peptides involved in intercellular communication: From targeted to untargeted peptidomics approaches
Endogenous peptide hormones/cytokines represent an essential class of biomolecules, which regulate cell–cell communications in diverse physiological processes of organisms. Mass spectrometry (MS) has been developed to be a powerful technology for identifying and quantifying peptides in a highly efficient manner. However, it is difficult to directly identify these peptide hormones/cytokines due to their diverse characteristics, dynamic regulations, low abundance, and existence in a complicated biological matrix. In this work, we summarized and discussed the roles of targeted and untargeted MS in discovering peptide hormones/cytokines using bioassay‐guided purification, bioinformatics screening, or the peptidomics‐based approach. Although the MS-based untargeted comparative peptidomics approach is expected to discover novel peptide hormones/cytokines unbiasedly, only a limited number of successful cases have been reported. The first successful example of discovering a novel peptide hormone (CAPE family) in plants using an untargeted comparative peptidomics approach was published by our team. We discussed the critical challenges and corresponding measures for the peptidomics approach from the steps of sample preparation, peptide extraction, and separation to the MS data acquisition and analysis. By identifying current and emerging technologies and methods that can be integrated into the discovery platform, we proposed an approach and direction for more comprehensive discovery and studying of the roles of the peptide hormones/cytokines operating in diverse organisms.同研究人員:Kai-Ting Fan, Chia-Wei Hsu
Yet-Ran Chen
Research Fellow
CURRENT POSITION
2024- Research Fellow, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica.
2024- President, Taiwan Society for Mass Spectrometry.
2015- Professor, Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University.
2009- Executive PI of Metabolomics Core Facility, Academia Sinica
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
2015-2024 Tenured Associate Research Fellow, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica.
2007-2015 Assistant Research Fellow, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica.
2006-2007 Assistant Professor, Dep. of Bioscience and Biotech., National Taiwan Ocean University.
2002-2006 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica.
2003 Visiting Scholar, Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
AWARDS
2025 Outstanding Scholar Award, Foundation for the Advancement of Outstanding Scholarship (FAOS)
2024 Investigation Research Grant/Award, Academia Sinica
2024 Distinguished Scholar Award, Taiwan Society for Mass Spectrometry
2016 Junior Research Investigators Award, National Award by Academia Sinica.
2016 Career Development Award, Academia Sinica.
2015 Professor CY Lin Memorial Award for Innovative Research Program, The Chu-Yung Lin Memorial Foundation and Taiwan Society for Plant Biologists (TSPB).
2015 The Shang-Fa Yang Young Scientist Award, The Shang-Fa Yang Memorial Foundation.
2013 TSMS Young Scholar Award, Taiwan Society for Mass Spectrometry.
2008 Biotechnology Creativity Award, Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs.
HONORS
2024- President, Taiwan Society for Mass Spectrometry.
2024 Significant Discovery, Academia Sinica 2023 Yearly Report
2021- Council Member, Taiwan Metabolomics Society.
2016 Significant Discovery, Academia Sinica 2015 Yearly Report
2015 Significant Discovery, Academia Sinica 2014 Yearly Report
2015- Council Member, Asia Oceania Agricultural Proteomics Organization.
2011- Elected Council Member / Executive Council Member (2021-), Taiwan Society for Proteomics.
2006- Elected Council Member / Chair of Publication Committee (2021-) / Executive Council Member (2015-) / Chair of Finance Committee (2015-21) / Academic Committee (2015-) / Training Course Committee (2009-12), Taiwan Society for Mass Spectrometry.