Identification of Enzyme-Converted Peptide Products from Single Cells Using Capillary Electrophoresis and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Single-cell analysis using chemical methods, otherwise known as chemical cytometry, promises to provide significant leaps in understanding signaling processes which result in cellular behavior. Sensitive methods for chemical cytometry such as capillary electrophoresis can detect and quantify multiple targets; however, conclusive identification of detected analytes is required for useful data to be obtained. Here, we demonstrate a method for determining the identity of enzyme-converted peptide products from single cells using a combination of capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).