Quantitation of the ribosomal protein autoregulatory network using mass spectrometry.

Relative levels of ribosomal proteins were quantified in crude cell lysates using mass spectrometry. A method for quantifying cellular protein levels using macromolecular standards is presented that does not require complex sample separation, identification of high-responding peptides, affinity purification, or postgrowth modifications. Perturbations in ribosomal protein levels by overexpression of individual proteins correlate to known autoregulatory mechanisms and extend the network of ribosomal protein regulation.