Establishing a MS-based assay for in vivo peptide deformylase inhibition in Bacillus subtilis

The peptide deformylase inhibitor actinonin was used to treat Bacillus subtilis 168, and the proteome was analyzed using UPLC-MSE. The goal was to identify proteins that retain N-terminal formylation of the initial methionine after actinonin treatment that could be used to establish a microplate assay based on mass spectrometry for in vivo peptide deformylase inhibition.