PostDoc: Application of our Integrated Proteogenomics Approach* to identify missed protein coding ORFs in prokaryotic genome sequences of various pathogens and key model organisms

Proteogenomics refers to the identification of as of yet unannotated protein-coding genes (CDS) in genomes using tandem mass spectrometry data. This highly visible area of research benefits from the exponential increase of completely sequenced prokaryotic genomes, which represent an optimal basis for accurate genome annotation. We have recently developed a publicly available solution for this problem (*Omasits, Varadarajan et al., Genome Res, 2017, 12:2083-2095). We now aim to make our solution more broadly available, and apply it in selected collaboration projects, e.g. with Prof. Dr. Ruedi Aebersold (ETHZ) and Prof. Dr. S. Gagneux (Swiss TPH) and several collaborators from the German Priority Programme “Small Proteins in Prokaryotes, an Unexplored World” (SPP 2002, ?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spp2002.uni-kiel.de%2Fwordpress%2F&module=jobs&id=40290" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spp2002.uni-kiel.de%2Fwordpress%2F&module=jobs&id=40290" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.spp2002.uni-kiel.de/­wordpress/).

The project will entail the generation of integrated proteogenomics databases (iPtgxDBs) for a number of relevant prokaryotic organisms, to search existing proteomics data to identify as of yet unannotated CDSs, to explore their conservation and functional relevance using bioinformatics tools and in close interaction with experimental groups. For several datasets, analysis of closely related strains will be possible, allowing to identify protein variants relevant for disease progression, virulence or other key functional aspects. The project will provide outstanding opportunities to analyze large datasets and push the proteogenomics field forward. In addition, the successful candidate will be able to assess integration of Transposon mutagenesis data (Tnseq) and proteogenomics data and their impact on finding essential genes and improving genome annotations.

A PostDoc position is available for a highly motivated scientist with a broad background in proteomics and bioinformatics data analysis. The successful candidate will join the research group “Molecular Diagnostics, Genomics and Bioinformatics” at the Competence Division “Method Development and Analytics” of Agroscope in Wädenswil. She/he will largely benefit from being an associated member of the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics.