Hagerty Laura, Haystead Timothy A J
Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University, C118 LSRC, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Expert Rev Proteomics. 2006 Feb;3(1):75-85. doi: 10.1586/14789450.3.1.75.
This review will outline examples of the authors' focused proteomics approaches to studying signal transduction pathways in smooth muscle. By focusing the use of traditional proteomics techniques with hypothesis-driven selection methods, this approach efficiently addresses the identification of novel elements in a signal transduction pathway of interest. However, focused proteomics serves only as a starting point in the investigation of novel signaling proteins. While focused proteomics studies can suggest the involvement and general biochemical function of a protein in a signaling pathway, these findings must be further investigated and validated. Through the integrated use of focused proteomics with complementary approaches such as genetics, biochemistry and cell physiology, a complete and detailed mechanism of signal transduction can be determined.
