Why Are There So Many Keratins in My Mass Spectrometry Results
The frequent detection of keratins in mass spectrometry results is often attributed to sample contamination during experimental procedures. Keratins are a group of abundant and stable structural proteins commonly found in the epidermis, hair, nails, and other tissues of humans and animals. Owing to their high abundance and resilience, keratins can be readily introduced into samples throughout the experimental workflow, resulting in their pervasive presence in mass spectrometry data.
The primary sources of keratin contamination in laboratory settings include:
1. Human Skin and Hair
Keratins can be inadvertently introduced into samples through shedding from the researcher’s skin, hair, or nails during handling. Additionally, airborne dust and particulates within the laboratory environment may also carry keratins.
2. Laboratory Equipment and Reagents
Experimental instruments and chemical reagents may become contaminated with keratins, thereby contributing to sample contamination. For instance, residual keratins may remain on the surfaces of plasticware or other laboratory containers.
To minimize keratin contamination in mass spectrometry analyses, the following preventive strategies are recommended:
1. Wear Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Researchers should consistently wear gloves, face masks, head covers, and other PPE to reduce keratin shedding and environmental dissemination during sample handling.
2. Maintain a Clean Laboratory Environment
Regular cleaning of work surfaces, equipment, and reagent containers is essential to prevent the accumulation of dust and keratin-containing particulates.
3. Utilize High-Purity Reagents and Containers
Select reagents and labware that are certified to be of high purity and free from protein contamination to mitigate the risk of introducing keratins into samples.
4. Optimize Sample Preparation Protocols
Employ stringent aseptic techniques and standardized workflows during sample processing to limit potential keratin contamination.
5. Filter Keratin Peptides During Data Processing
During mass spectrometry data analysis, keratin-derived peptides can be identified and filtered out to reduce their impact on the interpretation of proteomic results. Nonetheless, such computational approaches are not sufficient to eliminate keratin contamination entirely, highlighting the continued importance of preventive measures during experimental procedures.
MtoZ Biolabs, an integrated chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS) services provider.
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