Accurate Proteomewide Measurement of Methionine Oxidation in Aging Mouse Brains

The oxidation of methionine has emerged as an important post-translational modification of proteins. A number of studies have suggested that the oxidation of methionines in select proteins can have diverse impacts on cell physiology, ranging from detrimental effects on protein stability to functional roles in cell signaling. Despite its importance, the large-scale investigation of methionine oxidation in a complex matrix, such as the cellular proteome, has been hampered by technical limitations. We report a methodology, methionine oxidation by blocking (MobB), that allows for accurate and precise quantification of low levels of methionine oxidation typically observed in vivo. To demonstrate the utility of this methodology, we analyzed the brain tissues of young (6 m.o.) and old (20 m.o.) mice and identified over 280 novel sites for in vivo methionine oxidation. We further demonstrated that oxidation stoichiometries for specific methionine residues are highly consistent between individual animals and methionine sulfoxides are enriched in clusters of functionally related gene products including membrane and extracellular proteins. However, we did not detect significant changes in methionine oxidation in brains of old mice. Our results suggest that under normal conditions, methionine oxidation may be a biologically regulated process rather than a result of stochastic chemical damage.

Automated summary

The oxidation of methionine is an important post-translational modification of proteins, with diverse effects on cell physiology. However, the large-scale investigation of methionine oxidation has been hindered by technical limitations. In this study, a new methodology called methionine oxidation by blocking (MobB) was developed, allowing for accurate quantification of low levels of methionine oxidation. Using this method, over 280 novel sites for in vivo methionine oxidation were identified in the brain tissues of mice. The results suggest that methionine oxidation may be a biologically regulated process rather than a result of stochastic chemical damage.