A detailed protocol is described for the separation, identification, and characterization of proteoforms in protein samples using capillary zone electrophoresis-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (CZE-ESI-MS/MS). The protocol can be used for the high-resolution characterization of proteoforms in simple protein samples and the large-scale identification of proteoforms in complex proteome samples.
McCool, E. N., Lubeckyj, R., Shen, X., Kou, Q., Liu, X., Sun, L. Large-scale Top-down Proteomics Using Capillary Zone Electrophoresis Tandem Mass Spectrometry. J. Vis. Exp. (140), e58644, doi:10.3791/58644 (2018).