Peptidomics: Divide et Impera

The term “peptidomics” can be defined as the systematic analysis of the peptide content within a cell, organelle, tissue or organism. The science of peptidomics usually refers to the studies of naturally occurring peptides. Another meaning refers to the peptidomics approach to protein analysis. An ancient Roman strategy divide et impera (divide and conquer) reflects the essence of peptidomics. Most effort in this field is spent purifying and dividing the peptidomes, which consist of tens, hundreds or sometimes thousands of functional peptides, followed by their structural and functional characterisation. This chapter introduces the concept of peptidomics, outlines the range of methodologies employed and describes key targets – the peptide groups which are often sought after in such studies.