Ion-trap mass spectrometry for integrative biology

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The objectives of this proposal are to acquire high sensitivity, high throughput LCMS capabilities for metabolomics and proteomics. The principle applicants, Julian Griffin, Kathryn Lilley and Martin Welch have an established track record with respect to collaboration in systems biology projects and also with many of the co-applicants. The purchase of the requested LTQ linear ion trap mass spectrometer represents added value to existing fruitful metabolomic and proteomic studies. The proposed mass spectrometer will be situated in the newly formed Systems Biology Institute within the School of Biological Sciences in purpose built mass spectrometry laboratory facilities. The facilities within this institute will benefit the entire School of Biological Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Biochemistry has a number of on-going projects in the field of metabolomics, working on a range of organisms including plants, microbes, fruit flies, frogs and mammalian systems. This LTQ linear ion trap will provide these groups with dedicated access to a LC-MS system to increase their coverage of the metabolome. Dr Griffin¿s group will provide expertise and training in the preparation of metabolite extracts and multivariate analysis of the data obtained using the instrument. The instrument will be managed by the Cambridge Centre for Proteomics (CCP) of which Kathryn Lilley is group leader. The Cambridge Centre for Proteomics (CCP), established by funding from the BBSRC Investigating Gene Function Initiative is a state-of-the-art facility which has successfully provided proteomics expertise to the Arabidopsis and Drosophila communities. CCP has also collaborated with many laboratories within the Biochemistry Department, these collaborations attracting 7 BBSRC response mode grants over the last 18 months. The addition of a LTQ linear ion trap will greatly complement existing quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometers in this facility. CCP has two very highly skilled mass spectrometry scientists, who would maintain the proposed LTQ instrument and be responsible for training researchers in its use. The LTQ will be maintained in the long-term as part of CCP equipment maintenance arrangements from combined access charges. The generous discount from Thermo Electron reflects the ongoing collaboration between CCP and Thermo¿s alliance partner, GE Healthcare and also the previous purchase of a GC-MS by Dr Griffin. The projects described in the proposal cover the BBSRC committee priority areas of `food metabolomics¿, `genotypic variation and responsiveness to diet¿, `diet and vascular health (DVH)¿, `from neurons to behaviour¿, `genes to physiology¿, `chemical biology¿, `integrated cellular systems in vitro¿, `post-translational modification of proteins (POPMOP)¿, `protein-ligand interactions (PROLIN)¿, `new protein technologies for difficult to analyse proteins¿, `comparative functional genomics¿, `integrating physiology¿, and `exploring the potential of metabolomics¿.