Cover Picture: Proteomics 2'10

New compass point blot helps find hTERT factors First there were Southern blots for DNA, named after the inventor, then there were jokingly named Northern blots for RNA and Western blots for proteins. Here, we have Southwestern blots (not a spotted airline), a combination of blotted protein targets and 32 P‐labeled DNA probes. Jiang et al . used a number of tools, including oligonucleotide trapping, 2‐DE, Southwestern blots, an Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) and an antibody‐enhanced shift assay (“supershift”) in their search for the transcription factors that control the expression of telomerase and its associated reverse transcriptase (“hTERT”). The targets of choice are a proximal and a distal E‐box sequence with the promoter in between. Using LC‐ n ESI‐MS/MS on isolated spots revealed several factors, particularly interesting was Upstream Stimulatory Factor 2 (USF 2). Jiang, S. et al ., Proteomics 2010, 10 , 203–211 Buffalo rats won't you come out tonight? (to tune of “Buffalo Gals”) For the record, Buffalo rats are an albino strain of Rattus norvegicus that originated in a research lab in Buffalo, NY. The rats are of interest here because their liver is a well‐studied system for generating hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Jia et al . were looking for the protein factors involved in tumor angiogenesis, a critical step in tumor development. Using 2‐D DIGE, they sorted out >2000 spots that were further analyzed for their degree of up‐ and down‐regulation. They were identified by in‐gel digestion and MALDI‐TOF/TOF MS. Identity was confirmed by Western blots and immunohistochemistry. More than 35 unique proteins exhibited ≥two‐fold differential expression. Galectin‐3 was up‐regulated 7.63‐fold and EHD3 (EH‐domain containing protein 3 tumor endothelial cells) was down 12.76‐fold. Jia, J. et al ., Proteomics 2010, 10 , 224–234. The old Caddy can get you in almost anywhere Campylobacter jejuni is a major health issue as the most common cause of food poisoning. An estimated 1% of the US and UK population are infected annually. Symptoms range from mild to fatal. The pathogen establishes colonies through interactions with the extracellular matrix, particularly fibronectin (Fn). The bacterium produces Campylobacter Adherence Factor (CadF) in several variant forms, some of which are virulent, some not. A number of the variants are due to refolding variations. Scott et al . found that after processing CadF 34 to CadF 24 and to CadF 22 (from the C‐terminus), the proteins remained membrane bound but no longer reacted with immune sera. They were also more abundant than the original form, perhaps for evasion of immune attack. Scott, N. E. et al . Proteomics 2010, 10 , 277–288.