Title: Identification and Characterization of Small Peptides Encoded by Small Opening Reading

Title: Identification and Characterization of Small Peptides Encoded by Small Opening Reading Frames

Name: Dr. Su Mon Saw

University of Queensland, QLD 4072, Australia

49% of eukaryotic mRNAs contains more than one upstream open reading frame (uORF) i.e.,short open reading frames (sORFs) located in 5’UTR of mRNAs of 20 or more codons.It is hypothesized that a subset of sORFs are translatable and that their encoded sPEPs are functional and are endogenously expressed contributing to eukaryotic cellular proteome complexity.To test this, the studyextracted low molecular weight proteins by SDS-PAGE from Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK293) cells and Strong Cation Exchange Chromatography from secreted HEK293 cells. Extracted proteins were trypsin-digested to peptidesdetected byLiquid Chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry. MS/MS data obtained was searched against Swiss-Prot using MASCOT to filter out known proteins.All unmatched spectra were re-searched against human RefSeq database. ProteinPilot was used to identify sPEPs by searching against human RefSeq, Vanderperre and HaltORF databases. Potential sPEPs were analyzed by bioinformatics. Since SDS PAGE electrophoresis could not separate proteins <20 kDa,this could not identifysPEPs. All MASCOT-identified peptide fragments were parts of mORF by ORF Finder and blastp search. No sPEP was detected and existence of sPEPs could not be identified. Bioinformatic analyses of 13 previouslyidentified sPEPs of <100 amino acids and <15 kDa in HEK293 cells showed that sORFs are translated to sPEPs and contribute to proteome complexity. uPEP translated from SLC35A4 was strongly conserved in human and mouse while that fromMKKSwas strongly conserved in human and Rhesus monkey.Translation of sORFs is confirmed, although contribution of their peptide products to cell functions is still unknown.

Biography

Su Mon Saw completed Master of Biotechnology (Advanced) program from The University of Queensland, Australia and will be awarded the degree in July 19, 2016. She scored high distinctions in Molecular Genetics. Her fields of research and interest are mass spectrometry in proteomics and bioinformatics. She specialized and conducted major research in those fields in her degree program successfully completing them with distinctions. She achieved her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from Myanmar with high scores. She is a registered medical practitioner working successfully as a private general practitioner.

Presenting author details

Full name: Su Mon Saw
Contact number: +61 4 3108 5729
email:

Session name/ number: Track 3-3
Category: Poster presentation