Quantitative proteomics profiling of NSPs in Leishmania mexicana parasites during starvation

Using a combination of BONCAT technique and iTRAQ 4-plex quantitative proteomics MS, we profiled the de novo protein synthesis in the starving L. mexicana parasites in a temporally resolved manner. This approach uniquely integrates the high specificity of the BONCAT technique for the NSPs with the high sensitivity and multiplexed quantitation capability of the iTRAQ quantitative proteomics MS. Proof-of-concept experiments identified 166 NSPs in the parasite and quantified the relative changes in abundance of these proteins as a function of duration of starvation. Our results show a starvation time-dependent differential expression of important translation regulators in the parasite.