Characterization of the Drosophila melanogaster ribosomal proteome

We have combined high-resolution two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis with mass spectrometry to identifying proteins represented in a 2-D gel database of Drosophila melanogaster ribosomes. First, we purified ribosomes from third instar Drosophila larvae and constructed a high-resolution 2-D gel database containing 58 Coomassie blue stained polypeptides. Next, we carried out preparative 2-D PAGE to isolate some of the polypeptides and characterize them by MALDI-TOF. Using this strategy we identified 52 ribosomal spots in the database, and in each case confirmed their identity by MALDI-TOF/TOF. The database can be used to analyze Minute mutants of Drosophila.