Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, protein electroblotting and microsequencing: a direct link between proteins and genes.

We have used two-dimensional gel electrophoresis as a general "preparative" method to purify proteins for microsequencing analysis. In the first experiments, proteins derived from a total extract of Nicotiana tabacum leaf tissue were directly blotted from the gel onto poly(4-vinyl-N-methylpyridinium iodide)-coated glass fiber sheets. The major spots were excised and subjected to NH2-terminal sequence analysis, which made it possible to identify five of the eight selected proteins, while two more were recognized by generated internal sequences. In a second set of experiments, proteins of human origin were separated on multiple two-dimensional gels and the Coomassie Brilliant Blue-stained spots were excised from the gels. The combined spots were re-eluted and concentrated in a new gel and blotted on Immobilon. They were fragmented by in situ proteolysis and the generated peptides were separated by reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography and sequenced. At the average, the internal sequences that were obtained covered 35 residues per protein and allowed unambiguous identification of 13 of the 23 proteins analyzed so far. The sequence information obtained of the unidentified proteins is sufficient for further cloning. These results demonstrate that systematic sequence analysis of the major proteins seen in two-dimensional gels is within the reach of current technologies. This offers a unique opportunity to link information contained in protein databases with known or forthcoming DNA sequence data.