Abstract
As an emerging field of molecular biology, proteomics gives a great impact on pharmaceutics, medicine and life science. The objectives of proteomics include protein identification and quantification, profiling of expression dynamics and localization, mapping of post-translational modifications, and probing of protein-ligand interactions. Because of tremendous complexity and diversity of protein world, proteomics requires high-throughput analytical technologies, which basically consist of gel electrophoresis, in-gel digestion, mass spectrometry and bio-informatics based on genome database. There are two aspects in which mid-infrared free-electron laser (MIR-FEL) can facilitate proteomics study: being used as a desorption laser in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and as an activation laser in infrared multi-photon dissociation (IRMPD). This commentary article describes how MIR-FEL can be of benefit to proteomics, and indicates an ideal approach utilizing MIR-FEL to the goal of proteomics.
