JP2008151514A - Method for estimating sugar chain structure, and prediction program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for estimating a sugar chain structure that uses mass analysis data, and to provide a prediction program. <P>SOLUTION: The method for estimating the sugar chain structure includes a first step (S2) for selecting a peak in a predetermined range on the small mass side, on the basis of a predetermined peak of MS/MS data; a second step (S2) for connecting sugar, which is obtained by searching a data base using the mass difference between peaks, to form a first sugar chain; a third step (S4) for eliminating nonreducing terminal sugar, with respect to a plurality of kinds of respective first sugar chains; a fourth step (S4) for leaving only a nonreducing terminal sugar that is close to a reducing terminal, with respect to a second sugar chain containing a plurality of the same non-reduction terminal sugars and eliminating another nonreducing terminal sugar, to form a third sugar chain; a fifth step (S5) for eliminating the sugar located on the side of the nonreducing terminal of nonreducing terminal sugar, with respect to each third sugar chain; and a sixth step (S6) for setting the identical sugar positioned in the same order, with respect to all of fourth sugar chains, into a single group. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for predicting sugar chain structures such as glycolipids and glycoproteins, and a computer program thereof.

  In the field of life science, with the release of human genome sequence data, in the post-genome sequencing era, functional analysis, structural analysis, and interaction analysis of proteins and glycolipids became the subject of research.

  In the living body, sugar chains are bound to proteins and lipids (hereinafter referred to as sugar chain modifications), and thereby perform the original functions of proteins and glycolipids. Therefore, elucidation of the functions of glycoproteins and glycolipids is indispensable for realizing genomic drug discovery and regenerative medicine.

  For proteins, comprehensive analysis using genome information is possible as a primary product from the genome. However, sugar chains are secondary products mediated by proteins, and comprehensive structural analysis is not easy.

On the other hand, a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF MS, hereinafter also simply referred to as a mass spectrometer) has been developed, and a comprehensive protein analysis method using this has been established. Furthermore, the mass spectrometer is also used for structural analysis of glycolipids. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a method for analyzing a sugar chain structure in a glycoprotein or the like using a mass spectrometer.
JP 2005-300420 A JP 2005-265697 A

  However, in the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to obtain the sugar chain structure, a positive charge ion is added to the sugar chain, and mass spectrometry is performed by a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. In addition, although a sugar chain sequence can be obtained, a branched structure in the sugar chain cannot be automatically determined.

  In addition, in the method disclosed in Patent Document 2, in order to obtain the sugar chain structure, not only the M2 fragment pattern obtained by cleaving the sugar chain and mass-analyzing, but also the M2 fragment ion is further cleaved to perform mass spectrometry. To obtain an M3 fragment pattern, and a complicated process using the pattern must be performed.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a sugar chain structure prediction method and a prediction program capable of automatically predicting a sugar chain structure including a branched structure using data obtained by cleaving a sugar chain and mass spectrometry. The purpose is to provide.

  The object of the present invention is achieved by the following means.

  That is, the sugar chain structure prediction method according to the present invention is a sugar chain structure prediction method using MS / MS data obtained by cleaving a sample to be analyzed and mass-analyzing, and obtained by measurement. A first step of selecting a plurality of peaks present in a predetermined range having a mass smaller than the peak with respect to a predetermined peak in the MS / MS data, and obtaining a mass difference between the selected plurality of peaks. The second step of searching a database containing sugar mass information using the mass difference and connecting the detected sugars to create a first sugar chain, and the step created in the second step When there are a plurality of types of the first sugar chain, for each of the first sugar chains, the third step of generating the second sugar chain by deleting the non-reducing terminal sugar and the second sugar containing a plurality of the same non-reducing terminal sugar As for sugar chain, In the fourth step of generating a third sugar chain by leaving only the non-reducing terminal sugar that is close and deleting the other non-reducing terminal sugar, and in each of the third sugar chains, The fifth step of generating the fourth sugar chain by deleting the sugar located on the reducing end side, and all the same sugars located in the same order counting from the reducing end sugar for all the fourth sugar chains And a sixth step as one group.

  The sugar chain structure prediction method described above determines that the sugar chain is branched when there are two groups adjacent to the non-reducing end of the specific group after the sixth step. If there are only groups, the method may further include a seventh step of determining that the straight chain is not branched.

  The sugar chain structure prediction program according to the present invention is a sugar chain structure prediction program that uses MS / MS data obtained by cleaving a sample to be analyzed and mass-analyzing it. A first function for selecting a plurality of peaks present in a predetermined range having a mass smaller than that of the predetermined peak in the obtained MS / MS data as a reference, and between the selected plurality of the peaks A second function of obtaining a mass difference, searching a database including sugar mass information using the mass difference, and creating a first sugar chain by connecting a plurality of detected sugars; and the second step When there are a plurality of types of the first sugar chain prepared in step 3, the same non-reducing terminal sugar as the third function for generating a second sugar chain by deleting the non-reducing terminal sugar for each of the first sugar chains Said second sugar chain comprising a plurality of With respect to each of the third sugar chains, the fourth function of leaving only the non-reducing end sugar closest to the reducing end and deleting the other non-reducing end sugars to generate a third sugar chain, The fifth function of generating the fourth sugar chain by deleting the sugar located on the non-reducing terminal side of the non-reducing terminal sugar and the same for all the fourth sugar chains as counted from the reducing terminal sugar The sixth function is to realize the sixth function in which all the same sugars located in the rank are grouped.

  The sugar chain structure prediction program described above determines that the sugar chain is branched when there are two groups adjacent to the non-reducing end of the specific group after the sixth function. If only one group exists, the computer can further implement a seventh function for determining that the straight chain is not branched.

  According to the present invention, a sugar chain structure including a branch can be automatically predicted using MS / MS data obtained by cleaving a sugar chain for modifying a glycoprotein or glycolipid and performing mass spectrometry. .

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a system for carrying out a method for predicting a sugar chain structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system includes a processing device 1, an operation device 2 that gives instructions to the processing device 1, a display device 3 that displays a processing result by the processing device 1, and a mass spectrometer 4. Further, the processing device 1 includes an arithmetic processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a CPU) 11, a memory unit 12 that temporarily holds data, a recording unit 13 that holds data continuously, an operating device 2, and a display device. 3 and an interface unit (hereinafter referred to as an IF unit) 14 with the analyzer 4 and an internal bus 15 for exchanging data (including control data and measurement data) between the units.

  The operation device 2 is, for example, a computer keyboard or mouse, and is an input unit for inputting instructions, data, and the like to the CPU 11. The display device 3 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or a CRT display, and displays the status during processing by the CPU 11 and the processing result as text or graphics. For example, a computer can be used for the processing device 1, the operation device 2, and the display device 3. The CPU 11 reads the computer program recorded in the recording unit 13 onto the memory 12 and executes a series of processes described later in accordance with this, thereby predicting the sugar chain structure.

  The mass spectrometer 4 includes, for example, a matrix-assisted laser desorption / ionization (MALDI), a quadrupole electric ion trap (Quadrupole Ion Trap), and a time-of-flight mass analyzer (Time Of Flight). ). The mass spectrometer 4 is a mass spectrometer capable of repeating MS analysis twice or more in mass spectrum analysis (hereinafter referred to as MS analysis), and performs MS analysis on a certain sample (glycoprotein, glycolipid, etc.). Further, the sample is cleaved (separated by ionization) with a laser to perform MS analysis. Since MS analysis by MALDI-TOF MS is known, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In this specification, in the MS analysis performed by the mass spectrometer 4, the spectrum data obtained by the first MS analysis of the sample is expressed as MS data, and the ion peak of the spectrum data obtained in the first MS analysis is expressed. A specific ion is selected from the above, and data obtained by performing the second MS analysis (denoted as MS / MS analysis) using the specific ion as a precursor ion is denoted as MS / MS data.

  Next, a sugar chain structure prediction method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Each process described below is described as a process performed by the CPU 11 unless otherwise noted. That is, the CPU 11 uses the memory unit 12 as a work area and executes processing on the data read from the recording device 13. The intermediate result of the process and the final result are recorded in a predetermined area of the recording unit 13 as necessary. In addition, it is assumed that data related to sugar (such as sugar name and mass) is recorded in the recording unit 13 in advance as a database.

  In step S1, the operator operates the mass spectrometer 4 on a sample containing a sugar chain to be processed (here, a glycolipid) to perform MS analysis and MS / MS analysis as described above. The obtained MS data and MS / MS data are transmitted from the mass spectrometer 4 to the recording unit 13 via the IF unit 14 and recorded. At this time, the MS data is used to detect a fragment that matches the molecule of the sugar residue, and MS / MS analysis is performed on the detected fragment. At this time, in order to obtain accurate measurement data, it is desirable to employ a matrix corresponding to the sample. Since it is known to use a matrix in MS analysis, the description thereof is omitted.

  In step S2, a peak corresponding to a specific fragment is automatically detected from the MS / MS data recorded in the recording unit 13 in step S1, and a sugar chain is obtained based on the mass of the peak. A specific description will be given with reference to FIG. 4 showing MS / MS data (spectrum) as follows. In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis represents the mass-to-charge ratio (m / z) (hereinafter simply referred to as mass), the vertical axis represents the ion intensity, and the spectrum data shown in FIG. Noise data below a predetermined threshold is removed from the MS data, and each automatically detected peak is displayed as a solid vertical line.

  In FIG. 4, the difference Δmij = mi−mj (i, j is a natural number where i <j holds, and mi is the difference in mass mi of each peak in a predetermined range (mass range) on the left side of the peak representing the fragment denoted by the symbol F. > Mj) and Δmij is used to search the sugar database recorded in the recording unit 13 to determine whether the corresponding sugar exists. FIG. 5 shows an example of information recorded in the sugar database. FIG. 5 shows that the names of sugars, symbols representing sugars, and the upper and lower mass limits are recorded in correspondence. In this case, it is determined whether or not a sugar satisfying uk ≦ Δmij ≦ dk (k is a natural number) exists in the database. If present, the corresponding sugar symbol (G 1, G 2, etc.) is recorded in the recording unit 13. Here, the difference (ui-di) between the upper limit ui and the lower limit di of the mass in the database may be determined according to the measurement error.

  FIG. 4 shows that, for example, as a result of searching using Δm13 = m1−m3, it is determined that Pentose is applicable, and as a result of searching using Δm37 = m3−m7, it is determined that HexNAc is applicable. In the recording unit 13, three types of symbol strings G2G2G1G3, G2G2G3G1, and G2G3G2G1 representing sugar chains are recorded as search results. Here, the left side of the sugar chain corresponds to the left side of the spectrum in FIG. Therefore, the leftmost symbol of the sugar chain represents the sugar to which the ceramide modified by the sugar chain is bound (hereinafter also referred to as the reducing end sugar), and the rightmost symbol of the sugar chain is bound to nothing. Represents a non-reducing sugar (hereinafter also referred to as a non-reducing terminal sugar).

  In the following, processing is performed for symbols (G1, G2, etc.) representing sugar, but in order to facilitate understanding, explanation will be made using the term sugar. Therefore, in the following, sugar and sugar chain also mean symbols and symbol strings representing them.

  In step S3, it is determined whether or not there is only one type of sugar chain (symbol string) obtained in step S2. If it is one type, the process proceeds to step S7, and if not one type, the process proceeds to step S4. In step S4, a process of determining a sugar in the sugar chain corresponding to the non-reducing terminal sugar is performed. Specific processing is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S40, for the plurality of sugar chains recorded in the recording unit 12, the rightmost non-reducing terminal sugar is specified and temporarily recorded, and the rightmost sugar is deleted from each sugar chain. For example, in the case of FIG. 6 showing the sugar chain obtained from the MS / MS data shown in FIG. 4, Pentose and HexNAc in the hatched part are used as non-reducing terminal sugars, and the corresponding symbols G3 and G1 are temporarily used. The non-reducing terminal sugar is deleted from the sugar chain as shown in FIG. Therefore, at this stage, G2G2G1G3 becomes G2G2G1, G2G2G3G1 becomes G2G2G3, and G2G3G2G1 becomes G2G3G2.

  In step S41, among symbols corresponding to the non-reducing terminal sugars temporarily recorded in step S40 (Pentose and HexNAc in the example of FIG. 6), a symbol representing one sugar (in the example of FIG. 6, G3 or G1) is read. The non-reducing terminal sugar read out in this step is represented by A.

  In step S42, the number M included in the sugar chain newly created in step S41, the same symbol as the non-reducing terminal sugar A read in step S41, is obtained. In the example of FIG. 6, when the symbol A is G1 (HexNAc), it is included (indicated by a dashed square in FIG. 7), and M = 1. When the symbol A is G3 (Pentose), two symbols (indicated by a solid square in FIG. 7) are included, and M = 2.

  In step S43, it is determined whether M = 1. If M = 1, the process proceeds to step S45. If M = 1 is not satisfied, the process proceeds to step S44.

  In step S44, in the sugar chain, among the same sugars as the non-reducing terminal sugar A, only the sugar closest to the reducing terminal is left, and the other sugars are deleted. That is, among the same symbols as the symbols A included in each sugar chain, the leftmost symbol is left and the same symbols as the other symbols A are deleted. In the example of FIG. 7, two Pentose indicated by solid squares are the processing target in this step (A = G3), and the sugar (Pentose) contained in the sugar chain in the third row from the top is two rows. Since it is located on the left side of the sugar (Pentose) contained in the sugar chain of the eye, the sugar (Pentose) indicated by the solid square in the sugar chain of the third row is left, and the solid line of the sugar chain of the second row Delete the sugar (Pentose) indicated by the square.

  The effectiveness of this process can be understood from the following points. First, the presence of the same non-reducing terminal sugar in a plurality of sugar chains means that there is a branch. Next, when a non-reducing end sugar is present on the side closer to the non-reducing end in a sugar chain, it means that the non-reducing end sugar has been cleaved at a relatively early stage, and that sugar chain has a branching position. Does not contain enough information to identify Therefore, the non-reducing terminal sugar contained in such a sugar chain is deleted, and among the sugar chains containing the same non-reducing terminal sugar, the non-reducing terminal sugar in the sugar chain closest to the reducing terminal side Only the non-reducing terminal sugar is left. In the example of FIG. 7, Pentose which is a non-reducing terminal sugar in a sugar chain in the second row interrupts a sugar chain containing another branch, and Pentose in the sugar chain in the second row specifies a branch. It is deleted because it is not valid.

  In step S45, it is determined whether or not the processing in steps S41 to S44 has been executed for all symbols temporarily recorded in step S40. If not all have been completed, the process returns to step S41, and if all have been completed. The process proceeds to step S5.

  Thus, by the process in step S4, only one non-reducing terminal sugar is present in the entire plurality of sugar chains. In the example of FIG. 7, the positions of all non-reducing terminal sugars, that is, HexNAc and Pentose, are determined as indicated by the dashed and solid squares in FIG. 8.

  Next, in step S5, unnecessary sugars are deleted from each sugar chain. Specifically, among the sugar chains, all sugars located on the right side of the sugar determined as the non-reducing terminal sugar are deleted from the sugar chains including the sugar determined as the non-reducing terminal sugar in step S4. For example, in the example of FIG. 8, the hexose on the right side of Pentose in the third row is deleted, and the result is as shown in FIG.

  Subsequently, in step S6, the same sugar is collected for each corresponding column for all sugar chains. That is, the left ends (reducing end side) of sugar chains are aligned, and the same sugars located in the same row (same order counted from the left end) are grouped into one group. For example, in the example of FIG. 9, grouping is performed as shown in FIG. In FIG. 10, sugars contained in one square form one group.

  Finally, in step S7, it is determined whether or not the processing has been completed for all fragments. If there is an unprocessed fragment, the process returns to step S2 to repeat the above processing.

  As described above, a linear sugar chain or a group of sugar chains grouped as shown in FIG. 10 is determined for each fragment. To predict the branched structure of a sugar chain from a group of sugar chains, if there are two groups immediately to the right of a specific group, it is determined that the sugar chain is a branched sugar chain, and only one group May be determined as an unbranched linear type. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 10, as shown in the broken-line square in FIG. 11, a branched sugar chain structure is predicted and can be displayed on the display device 3 as an image. In FIG. 11, Cer represents a lipid (ceramide) that has been sugar chain modified.

  In the above, the case where the present invention is applied using a specific embodiment, particularly for glycolipid, has been described, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the processes shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 can be implemented with various modifications. Further, the treatment target is not limited to glycolipid sugar chains, but can be applied to sugar chains of glycoproteins and sugar chains that modify more general polymers.

  Examples are given below to further clarify the effectiveness of the present invention.

First, the accuracy of a prediction program created according to the sugar chain structure prediction method of the present invention was evaluated using artificially created MALDI-TOF MS / MS data (hereinafter also referred to as fragment data). The conditions used are as follows.
Predicted sugars: Pentose, DeOxyHexose, Hexose, HexNAc
Predicted structure: The number of sugars in the sugar chain is 1 to 10, and the sugar chain structure is a straight chain or a branched structure having one branch. When these conditions are used, the sugar chain structure data to be evaluated The number is 12,804,130.

  For all the structures of the obtained artificial data 12,804,130, (1) structure prediction from fragment data of only information necessary for structure prediction and (2) only information necessary for structure prediction The structure was predicted from the fragment data generated by adding random values as noise to the fragment data at a certain rate. Table 1 shows the correct answer rate and measurement time for each prediction result. Here, the correct answer rate and the measurement time of the fragment data generated by adding noise are average values of the results predicted three times. Further, the noise added to the fragment data was changed every time in three predictions.

さらに、GlcNAc-Man-Glc-Cer、GalNAc-GlcNAc-Man-Glc-Cer、GalNAc-(Fuc-)GlcNAc-Man-Glc-Cerの既知糖脂質構造を用いた精度評価も行った結果、すべての構造予測結果に正解構造、即ち実際の糖鎖構造が含まれていた。

Furthermore, as a result of accuracy evaluation using known glycolipid structures of GlcNAc-Man-Glc-Cer, GalNAc-GlcNAc-Man-Glc-Cer, GalNAc- (Fuc-) GlcNAc-Man-Glc-Cer, all The structure prediction result included a correct structure, that is, an actual sugar chain structure.

  From the above, it can be seen that the sugar chain structure prediction method and the prediction program of the present invention are very effective.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the system used for implementation of the prediction method of the sugar_chain | carbohydrate structure which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the outline | summary of the prediction method of the sugar_chain | carbohydrate structure which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process which determines the sugar in the sugar_chain | carbohydrate applicable to the non-reducing terminal sugar in the prediction method of the sugar_chain | carbohydrate structure which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of MS data. It is a figure which shows an example of the database of sugar. It is a figure which shows the example of the initial stage sugar_chain | carbohydrate before being processed. It is a figure which shows the sugar chain of the state from which the sugar of the right end was deleted from the sugar chain shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the sugar chain of the state from which the overlapping non-reducing terminal sugar was deleted from the sugar chain shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the sugar chain of the state from which the sugar of the right side of the non-reducing terminal sugar was deleted from the sugar chain shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing sugar chains in a state where sugars are grouped in the sugar chains shown in FIG. 9. It is a figure which shows the sugar_chain | carbohydrate structure corresponding to the sugar_chain | carbohydrate shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Processing Device 11 Arithmetic Treatment Unit (CPU)
12 Memory unit 13 Recording unit 14 Interface unit (IF unit)
15 Internal bus 2 Operating device 3 Display device 4 Mass spectrometer

Claims (4)

A method for predicting a sugar chain structure using MS / MS data obtained by cleaving a sample to be analyzed and performing mass spectrometry,
A first step of selecting a plurality of peaks present in a predetermined range having a mass smaller than the peak with reference to the predetermined peak in the MS / MS data obtained by measurement;
First, a mass difference between a plurality of selected peaks is obtained, a database including sugar mass information is searched using the mass difference, and a plurality of detected sugars are connected to create a first sugar chain. Two steps,
When there are a plurality of types of the first sugar chains created in the second step, for each of the first sugar chains, a third step of generating a second sugar chain by deleting a non-reducing terminal sugar;
For the second sugar chain containing a plurality of the same non-reducing terminal sugar, only the non-reducing terminal sugar closest to the reducing terminal is left, and the other non-reducing terminal sugar is deleted to generate a third sugar chain. Steps,
In each of the third sugar chains, a fifth step of generating a fourth sugar chain by deleting a sugar located on the non-reducing terminal side of the non-reducing terminal sugar;
A method for predicting a sugar chain structure, comprising a sixth step in which all the fourth sugar chains are targeted and all of the same sugars located in the same rank as counted from the reducing terminal sugar are grouped together. After the sixth step,
If there are two groups adjacent to the non-reducing end of the particular group, it is determined that the sugar chain is branched;
The method for predicting a sugar chain structure according to claim 1, further comprising a seventh step of determining that the straight chain is not branched when only one group exists. A glycan structure prediction program using MS / MS data obtained by cleaving and analyzing a sample to be analyzed,
A first function for selecting a plurality of peaks present in a predetermined range having a mass smaller than the peak with reference to the predetermined peak in the MS / MS data obtained by measurement;
First, a mass difference between a plurality of selected peaks is obtained, a database including sugar mass information is searched using the mass difference, and a plurality of detected sugars are connected to create a first sugar chain. 2 functions,
When there are a plurality of types of the first sugar chains created in the second step, for each of the first sugar chains, a third function of generating a second sugar chain by deleting the non-reducing terminal sugar;
For the second sugar chain containing a plurality of the same non-reducing terminal sugar, only the non-reducing terminal sugar closest to the reducing terminal is left, and the other non-reducing terminal sugar is deleted to generate a third sugar chain. Functions and
In each of the third sugar chains, a fifth function of generating a fourth sugar chain by deleting a sugar located on the non-reducing terminal side of the non-reducing terminal sugar;
Prediction of a sugar chain structure characterized by realizing a sixth function of all the fourth sugar chains as a target and having all of the same sugars counted from the reducing end sugar in the same rank as one group program. After the sixth function,
If there are two groups adjacent to the non-reducing end of the particular group, it is determined that the sugar chain is branched;
The computer program for predicting a sugar chain structure according to claim 3, wherein when there is only one group, the computer further realizes a seventh function for determining that the straight chain is not branched.

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