美国伊利诺伊大学香槟分校Jonathan V. Sweedler研究团队开发出图像引导的MALDI质谱法，可用于高通量的单细胞器表征。这一研究成果于2021年9月30日在线发表在国际学术期刊《自然—方法学》上。

研究人员提出了以图像为指导的、基于高通量质谱的方案，对密核囊泡和透明囊泡的大量脂质和肽类内容进行化学分析，从而能够观察这两种囊泡群内部和之间的化学异质性。在密核囊泡内观察到四种原激素的蛋白质分解加工产物，与特定肽产物相对应的质谱特征表明有三个不同的密核囊泡群。研究人员在密核囊泡和透明囊泡之间观察到脂质质量范围的明显差异。这些单细胞质谱分析方法可用于描述一系列亚细胞结构的特征。

据介绍，肽类密核囊泡参与包装和释放神经肽和肽类激素，这是大脑、内分泌和外分泌功能的关键过程。然而，这些细胞器内的异质性，即使是形态学上定义的囊泡类型，由于其体积小，也没有很好地被描述。

附：英文原文

Title: Image-guided MALDI mass spectrometry for high-throughput single-organelle characterization

Author: Castro, Daniel C., Xie, Yuxuan Richard, Rubakhin, Stanislav S., Romanova, Elena V., Sweedler, Jonathan V.

Issue&Volume: 2021-09-30

Abstract: Peptidergic dense-core vesicles are involved in packaging and releasing neuropeptides and peptide hormones—critical processes underlying brain, endocrine and exocrine function. Yet, the heterogeneity within these organelles, even for morphologically defined vesicle types, is not well characterized because of their small volumes. We present image-guided, high-throughput mass spectrometry-based protocols to chemically profile large populations of both dense-core vesicles and lucent vesicles for their lipid and peptide contents, allowing observation of the chemical heterogeneity within and between these two vesicle populations. The proteolytic processing products of four prohormones are observed within the dense-core vesicles, and the mass spectral features corresponding to the specific peptide products suggest three distinct dense-core vesicle populations. Notable differences in the lipid mass range are observed between the dense-core and lucent vesicles. These single-organelle mass spectrometry approaches are adaptable to characterize a range of subcellular structures.

DOI: 10.1038/s41592-021-01277-2

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-021-01277-2