Shotgun proteomics

Shotgun proteomics is a method of identifying proteins in complex mixtures using a combination of high performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. The name is derived from shotgun sequencing of DNA which is itself named by analogy with the rapidly-expanding, quasi-random firing pattern of a shotgun. In shotgun proteomics, the proteins in the mixture are digested and the resulting peptides are separated by liquid chromatography. Tandem mass spectrometry is then used to identify the peptides.