Provided by: toppic_1.5.3+dfsg1-1build3_amd64 
NAME
toppic - Top-down mass spectrometry based Proteoform Identification and Characterization
SYNOPSIS
toppic [options] database-file-name spectrum-file-names
DESCRIPTION
TopPIC (Top-down mass spectrometry based Proteoform Identification and Characterization) identifies and
characterizes proteoforms at the proteome level by searching top-down tandem mass spectra against a
protein sequence database. TopPIC is a successor to MS-Align+. It efficiently identifies proteoforms
with unexpected alterations, such as mutations and post-translational modifications (PTMs), accurately
estimates the statistical significance of identifications, and characterizes reported proteoforms with
unknown mass shifts. It uses several techniques, such as indexes, spectral alignment, generation function
methods, and the modification identification score (MIScore), to increase the speed, sensitivity, and
accuracy.
1. Input
• A protein database file in the FASTA format
• A mass spectrum data file in the msalign format
• A text file containing LC/MS feature information (optional)
• A text file of fixed PTMs (optional)
• A text file of PTMs for the characterization of unexpected mass shifts (optional)
2. Output
TopPIC outputs two comma separated value (csv) files, an xml file, and a collection of html files for
identified proteoforms. For example, when the input data file is spectra_ms2.msalign, the output
includes:
• spectra_ms2_toppic_prsm.csv: a csv file containing identified proteoform spectrum-matches (PrSMs)
with an E-value or spectrum level FDR cutoff.
• spectra_ms2_toppic_proteoform.csv: a csv file containing identified proteoforms with an E-value or
proteoform level FDR cutoff.
• spectra_ms2_toppic_proteoform.xml: an xml file containing identified proteoforms with the E-value or
proteoform level FDR cutoff.
• spectra_html/toppic_prsm_cutoff: a folder containing java script files of identified PrSMs using the
E-value or spectrum level FDR cutoff.
• spectra_html/toppic_proteoform_cutoff: a folder containing java script files of identified PrSMs
using the E-value or proteoform level FDR cutoff.
• spectra_html/topview: a folder containing html files for the visualization of identified PrSMs.
To browse identified proteins, proteoforms, and PrSMs, use a chrome browser to open the file
spectrum_html/topview/index.html. Google Chrome is recommended (Firefox and IE are not recommended).
When the input contains two or more data files, TopPIC outputs two csv files, an xml file, and a
collection of html files for each input file. When a file name is specified for combined identifications,
it combines spectra and proteoforms identified from all the input files, removes redundant proteoform
identifications, and reports two csv files, an xml file, and a collection of html files for the combined
results. For example, when the input is spectra1_ms2.msalign and spectra2_ms2.msalign and the combined
output file name is "combined," the output files are:
• combined_ms2_toppic_prsm.csv: a csv file containing PrSMs identified from all the input files with
an E-value or spectrum level FDR cutoff.
• combined_ms2_toppic_proteoform.csv: a csv file containing proteoforms identified from all the input
files with an E-value or proteoform level FDR cutoff.
• combined_ms2_toppic_proteoform.xml: an xml file containing proteoforms identified from all the input
files with the E-value or proteoform level FDR cutoff.
• combined_html/toppic_prsm_cutoff: a folder containing java script files of PrSMs identified from all
the input files using the E-value or spectrum level FDR cutoff.
• combined_html/toppic_proteoform_cutoff: a folder containing java script files of PrSMs identified
from all the input files using the E-value or proteoform level FDR cutoff.
• combined_html/topview: a folder containing html files for the visualization of identified PrSMs.
OPTIONS
-h [ --help ] Print the help message.
-a [ --activation ] <CID|HCD|ETD|UVPD|FILE> Set the fragmentation method(s) of MS/MS spectra. When "FILE"
is selected, the fragmentation methods of spectra are given in the input spectrum data file. Default
value: FILE.
-f [ --fixed-mod ] <C57|C58|a fixed modification file> Set fixed modifications. Three available options:
C57, C58, or the name of a text file containing the information of fixed modifications (see an example
file). When C57 is selected, carbamidomethylation on cysteine is the only fixed modification. When C58 is
selected, carboxymethylation on cysteine is the only fixed modification.
-n [ --n-terminal-form ] <a list of allowed N-terminal forms> Set N-terminal forms of proteins. Four
N-terminal forms can be selected: NONE, NME, NME_ACETYLATION, and M_ACETYLATION. NONE stands for no
modifications, NME for N-terminal methionine excision, NME_ACETYLATION for N-terminal acetylation after
the initiator methionine is removed, and M_ACETYLATION for N-terminal methionine acetylation. When
multiple forms are allowed, they are separated by commas. Default value:
NONE,M_ACETYLATION,NME,NME_ACETYLATION.
-d [ --decoy ] Use a shuffled decoy protein database to estimate spectrum and proteoform level FDRs. When
-d is chosen, a shuffled decoy database is automatically generated and appended to the target database
before database search, and FDR rates are estimated using the target-decoy approach.
-e [ --mass-error-tolerance ] <a positive integer> Set the error tolerance for precursor and fragment
masses in part-per-million (ppm). Default value: 15. When the lookup table approach (-l) is used for
E-value estimation, valid error tolerance values are 5, 10, and 15 ppm.
-p [ --proteoform-error-tolerance ] <a positive number> Set the error tolerance for identifying PrSM
clusters (in Dalton). Default value: 1.2 Dalton.
-M [ --max-shift ] <a number> Set the maximum value for unexpected mass shifts (in Dalton). Default
value: 500.
-m [ --min-shift ] <a number> Se the minimum value for unexpected mass shifts (in Dalton). Default value:
-500.
-s [ --num-shift ] <0|1|2> Set the maximum number of unexpected mass shifts in a PrSM. Default value: 1.
-t [ --spectrum-cutoff-type ] <EVALUE|FDR> Set the spectrum level cutoff type for filtering PrSMs.
Default value: EVALUE.
-v [ --spectrum-cutoff-value ] <a positive number> Set the spectrum level cutoff value for filtering
PrSMs. Default value: 0.01.
-T [ --proteoform-cutoff-type ] <EVALUE|FDR> Set the proteoform level cutoff type for filtering
proteoforms and PrSMs. Default value: EVALUE.
-V [ --proteoform-cutoff-value ] <a positive number> Set the proteoform level cutoff value for filtering
proteoforms and PrSMs. Default value: 0.01.
-l [ --lookup-table ] Use a lookup table method for computing p-values and E-values. It is faster than
the default generating function approach, but it may reduce the number of identifications.
-r [ --num-combined-spectra ] <a positive integer> Set the number of combined spectra. The parameter is
set to 2 (or 3) for combining spectral pairs (or triplets) generated by the alternating fragmentation
mode. Default value: 1.
-i [ --mod-file-name ] <a common modification file> Specify a text file containing a list of common PTMs
for proteoform characterization. The PTMs are used to identify and localize PTMs in reported PrSMs with
unknown mass shifts. See an example file.
-H [ --miscore-threshold ] <a number between 0 and 1> Set the score threshold (MIScore) for filtering
results of PTM characterization. Default value: 0.45.
-u [ --thread-number ] <a positive number> Set the number of threads used in the computation. Default
value: 1. The maximum number of threads is determined by the CPU and memory of the computer used for
computation. About 4 GB memory is required for each thread. If the computer has 16 GB memory and a CPU
with 8 cores, the maximum number of threads is 4 because about 16 GB memory is needed for 4 threads.
-x [ --no-topfd-feature ] Specify that there are no TopFD feature files for proteoform identification.
-c [ --combined-file-name ] <a filename> Specify an output file name for combined identifications when
the input consists of multiple spectrum files.
-k [ --keep ] Keep intermediate files generated by TopPIC.
EXAMPLES
• Search a deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum file spectra_ms2.msalign against a protein database file
proteins.fasta with a feature file spectra.feature. The user does not need to specify the feature file
name. TopPIC will automatically obtain the names of feature files from the spectrum file name
spectra_ms2.msalign.
toppic proteins.fasta spectra_ms2.msalign
• Search two deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum files spectra1_ms2.msalign and spectra2_ms2.msalign against a
protein database file proteins.fasta with feature files. In addition, all identifications are combined
and reported using a file name "combined."
toppic -c combined proteins.fasta spectra1_ms2.msalign spectra2_ms2.msalign
• Search all deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum files in the current folder against a protein database file
proteins.fasta with feature files.
toppic proteins.fasta *_ms2.msalign
• Search a deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum file spectra_ms2.msalign against a protein database file
proteins.fasta without feature files.
toppic -x proteins.fasta spectra_ms2.msalign
• Search a deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum file spectra_ms2.msalign against a protein database file
proteins.fasta with feature files and a fixed modification: carbamidomethylation on cysteine.
toppic -f C57 proteins.fasta spectra_ms2.msalign
• Search a deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum file spectra_ms2.msalign against a protein database file
proteins.fasta with feature files. In an identified proteoform, at most 2 mass shifts are allowed and
the maximum allowed mass shift value is 10,000 Dalton.
toppic -s 2 -M 10000 proteins.fasta spectra_ms2.msalign
• Search a deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum file spectra_ms2.msalign against a protein database file
proteins.fasta with feature files. The error tolerance for precursor and fragment masses is 5 ppm.
toppic -e 5 proteins.fasta spectra_ms2.msalign
• Search a deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum file spectra_ms2.msalign against a protein database file
proteins.fasta with feature files. Use the target decoy approach to compute spectrum level and
proteoform level FDRs, filter identified proteoform spectrum-matches by a 5% spectrum level FDR, and
filter identified proteoforms by a 5% proteoform level FDR.
toppic -d -t FDR -v 0.05 -T FDR -V 0.05 proteins.fasta spectra_ms2.msalign
• Search a deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum file spectra_ms2.msalign with alternating CID, HCD, and ETD
spectra against a protein database file proteins.fasta with feature files. Combine alternating CID,
HCD, and ETD spectra to increase proteoform coverage.
toppic -r 3 proteins.fasta spectra_ms2.msalign
• Search a deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum file spectra_ms2.msalign against a protein database file
proteins.fasta with feature files. After proteoforms with unexpected mass shifts are identified, TopPIC
matches the mass shifts to four common PTMs: acetylation, phosphorylation, oxidation and methylation,
and uses an MIScore cutoff 0.3 to filter reported PTM sites. The modification file common_mods.txt can
be found here.
toppic -i common_mods.txt -H 0.3 proteins.fasta spectra_ms2.msalign
• Search a deconvoluted MS/MS spectrum file spectra_ms2.msalign against a protein database file
proteins.fasta with feature files. Use 6 CPU threads to speed up the computation.
toppic -u 6 proteins.fasta spectra_ms2.msalign
SEE ALSO
• topfd (1)
• topmg (1)
• topdiff (1)
MAN PAGE PRODUCTION
This man page was written by Filippo Rusconi <lopippo@debian.org>. Material was taken from
http://proteomics.informatics.iupui.edu/software/toppic/manual.html.
AUTHOR
Filippo Rusconi <lopippo@debian.org> and upstream authors (Dr. Xiaowen Liu's Lab at Indiana University-
Purdue University Indianapolis and others)
COPYRIGHT
Filippo Rusconi and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
1 20200521 TOPPIC(1)