Assessing sub-cellular resolution in spatial proteomics experiments.

The sub-cellular localisation of a protein is vital in defining its function, and a protein's mis-localisation is known to lead to adverse effect. As a result, numerous experimental techniques and datasets have been published, with the aim of deciphering the localisation of proteins at various scales and resolutions, including high profile mass spectrometry-based efforts. Here, we present a meta-analysis assessing and comparing the sub-cellular resolution of 29 such mass spectrometry-based spatial proteomics experiments using a newly developed tool termed QSep. Our goal is to provide a simple quantitative report of how well spatial proteomics resolve the sub-cellular niches they describe to inform and guide developers and users of such methods.This work was supported by a BBSRC Strategic Longer and Larger grant (Award BB/L002817/1), a Wellcome Trust Technology Development Grant (Grant number 108441/Z/15/Z) and a BBSRC Tools and resources development grant (Award BB/N023129/1)