Here we present a protocol for the rapid identification of proteins produced by genomically sequenced pathogenic bacteria using MALDI-TOF-TOF tandem mass spectrometry and top-down proteomic analysis with software developed in-house. Metastable protein ions fragment because of the aspartic acid effect and this specificity is exploited for protein identification.
Fagerquist, C. K., Rojas, E. Identification of Antibacterial Immunity Proteins in Escherichia coli using MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS/MS and Top-Down Proteomic Analysis. J. Vis. Exp. (171), e62577, doi:10.3791/62577 (2021).