Preparation of Insect Protein Samples for Label-Free Proteomic Quantification by LC-Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Insects are important biological models for the study of immune function and development. The development of proteomics and protein identification techniques combined with next-generation sequencing (NGS) for genome and transcriptome sequencing provides a powerful tool for the study of insect physiology, including insect immunity, stress biology, reproduction, the influence of environmental factors, and many other aspects of insect life. Proteomic studies are also useful to study post-translational modifications that play a fundamental role in animal physiology since a large fraction of the proteome is modified via oxidation, glycosylation, and phosphorylation. The use of proteomics to study insects offers an opportunity to advance in new directions to further our understanding of protein function and their networks. This is particularly true for the characterization of the insect immune system. The aim of this work is to provide a comprehensive methodology to prepare insect samples for proteomic analysis.