Data-independent acquisition method for ubiquitinome analysis reveals regulation of circadian biology

Abstract

Protein ubiquitination is involved in virtually all cellular processes. Enrichment strategies employing antibodies targeting ubiquitin-derived diGly remnants combined with mass spectrometry (MS) have enabled investigations of ubiquitin signaling at a large scale. However, so far the power of data independent acquisition (DIA) with regards to sensitivity in single run analysis and data completeness have not yet been explored. We developed a sensitive workflow combining diGly antibody-based enrichment and optimized Orbitrap-based DIA with comprehensive spectral libraries together containing more than 90,000 diGly peptides. This approach identified 35,000 diGly peptides in single measurements of proteasome inhibitor-treated cells - double the number and quantitative accuracy of data dependent acquisition. Applied to TNF-alpha signaling, the workflow comprehensively captured known sites while adding many novel ones. A first systems-wide investigation of ubiquitination of the circadian cycle uncovered hundreds of cycling ubiquitination sites and dozens of cycling ubiquitin clusters within individual membrane protein receptors and transporters, highlighting novel connections between metabolism and circadian regulation.