The periplasm of Gram-negative bacteria is a dynamic and physiologically important subcellular compartment where the constant exposure to potential environmental insults amplifies the need for proper protein folding and modifications. Top-down proteomics analysis of the periplasmic fraction at the intact protein level provides unrestricted characterization and annotation of the periplasmic proteome, including the post-translational modifications (PTMs) on these proteins. Here, we used single-dimension ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with the Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS) to investigate the intact periplasmic proteome of Novosphingobium aromaticivorans. Our top-down analysis provided the confident identification of 55 proteins in the periplasm and characterized their PTMs including signal peptide removal, N-terminal methionine excision, acetylation, glutathionylation, pyroglutamate, and disulfide bond formation. This study provides the first experimental evidence for the expression and periplasmic localization of many hypothetical and uncharacterized proteins and the first unrestrictive, large-scale data on PTMs in the bacterial periplasm. 1. Introduction The periplasm of Gram-negative bacteria is a hydrated gel located between the cytoplasmic and outer membranes and is comprised of peptidoglycan (cell wall), proteins, carbohydrates, and small solutes [1–3]. The periplasm is a dynamic subcellular compartment important for trafficking of molecules into and out of cells, maintaining cellular osmotic balance, envelope structure, responding to environmental cues and stresses, electron transport, xenobiotic metabolism, and protein folding and modification [4]. The periplasm provides a good model system to study protein biogenesis, composition, sorting, and modification at the molecular level. Indeed, it is analogous in many ways to the endoplasmic reticulum of eukaryotic cells in terms of transport, folding, and quality control [3]. Localization to the periplasm and beyond often involves an N-terminal secretion signal that targets the protein for translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane via the general secretory pathway [5]. These secretion signals (also known as signal peptides) are cleaved by signal peptidases located in the cytoplasmic membrane [6]. Thus, it is expected that signal peptide cleavage is a common modification in the periplasmic proteome. Compared to the cytoplasm, the periplasm is more vulnerable to changes in pH, temperature, and osmolarity in the external environment [4, 7, 8]. For structural stability in
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