Accurate and efficient amino acid analysis for protein quantification using hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled tandem mass spectrometry.

Accurate determination of protein quantity and amino acid composition in heterogeneous biological samples is non-trivial. Recent advances in chromatographic phases and LC-MS/MS based methods, along with the availability of isotopic standards can minimize difficulties in analysis and improve protein quantitation. A robust method is described for high-throughput protein quantification and amino acid compositional analysis. Since accurate measurement of protein quality and quantity are a requirement for many biological studies that relate to crop improvement or more generally, our understanding of metabolism in living systems, we envision this method will have broad applicability.