A two-dimensional protein map of Caenorhabditis elegans

A protein map of Caenorhabditis elegans was constructed by using two-dimens ional gel electrophoresis followed by peptide mass fingerprinting. A whole worm extract of a mixed population was separated on immobilized pH gradient strips 4-7 L, 3-10 NL, 6-11 L and 12% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamid e gel eletrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gels. Gels were stained with colloidal Coom assie blue and 286 spots representing 152 proteins were subsequently identi fied by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry after in-gel digestion with trypsin. Most of the identified proteins with known cellular function were enzymes related to carbohydrate and lipid metabolism , or structural proteins with subcellular locations in the cytoplasm, mitoc hondria or cytoskeleton.