Multiple protease
proteolysis improves protein inference. The use
of other proteases beyond trypsin such as lysyl endopeptidase (Lys-C),
peptidyl-Asp metallopeptidase (Asp-N), glutamyl peptidase I, (Glu-C),
chymotrypsin, clostripain (Arg-C), or peptidyl-Lys metalloendopeptidase
(Lys-N) can generate a greater diversity of peptides. This improves
protein sequence coverage and allows for the correct identification
of their N-termini. Increasing the number of complimentary enzymes
used will increase the number of proteins identified by single peptides
and decreases the ambiguity of the assignment of protein groups. Therefore,
this will allow more protein isoforms and post-translational modifications
to be identified than using trypsin alone.