Evaluation of fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry for sequence determination of peptides

Olefinic reagents tested for peptide derivatization with switchable properties: Stable upon collision induced dissociation and cleavable by in-source Paternò-Büchi reactions

This contribution is part of our ongoing efforts to develop innovative cross-linking (XL) reagents and protocols for facilitated peptide mixture analysis and efficient assignment of cross-linked peptide products. In this report, we combine in-source Paternò-Büchi (PB) photo-chemistry with a tandem mass spectrometry approach to selectively address the fragmentation of a tailor-made cross-linking reagent. The PB photochemistry, so far exclusively used for the identification of unsaturation sites in lipids and in lipidomics, is now introduced to the field of chemical cross-linking. Based on trans-3-hexenedioic acid, an olefinic homo bifunctional amine reactive XL reagent was designed and synthesized for this proof-of-principle study. Condensation products of the olefinic reagent with a set of exemplary peptides are used to test the feasibility of the concept. Benzophenone is photochemically reacted in the nano-electrospray ion source and forms oxetane PB reaction products. Subsequent CID-MS triggered retro-PB reaction of the respective isobaric oxetane molecular ions and delivers reliably and predictably two sets of characteristic fragment ions of the cross-linker. Based on these signature ion sets, a straightforward identification of covalently interconnected peptides in complex digests is proposed. Furthermore, CID-MSⁿ experiments of the retro-PB reaction products deliver peptide backbone characteristic fragment ions. Additionally, the olefinic XL reagents exhibit a pronounced robustness upon CID-activation, without previous UV-excitation. These experiments document that a complete backbone fragmentation is possible, while the linker-moiety remains intact. This feature renders the new olefinic linkers switchable between a stable, noncleavable cross-linking mode and an in-source PB cleavable mode.

Trichoderins, novel aminolipopeptides from a marine sponge-derived Trichoderma sp., are active against dormant mycobacteria

Three new aminolipopeptides, designated trichoderins A (1), A1 (2), and B (3), were isolated from a culture of marine sponge-derived fungus of Trichoderma sp. as anti-mycobacterial substances with activity against active and dormant bacilli. The chemical structures of trichoderins were determined on the basis of spectroscopic study. Trichoderins showed potent anti-mycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium bovis BCG, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv under standard aerobic growth conditions as well as dormancy-inducing hypoxic conditions, with MIC values in the range of 0.02-2.0 microg/mL.

Comparison of CID spectra of singly charged polypeptide antibiotic precursor ions obtained by positive-ion vacuum MALDI IT/RTOF and TOF/RTOF, AP-MALDI-IT and ESI-IT mass spectrometry

Various classes of polypeptide antibiotics, including blocked linear peptides (gramicidin D), side-chain-cyclized peptides (bacitracin, viomycin, capreomycin), side-chain-cyclized depsipeptides (virginiamycin S), real cyclic peptides (tyrocidin, gramcidin S) and side-chain-cyclized lipopeptides (polymyxin B and E, amfomycin), were investigated by low-energy collision induced dissociation (LE-CID) as well as high-energy CID (HE-CID). Ion trap (IT) based instruments with different desorption/ionization techniques such as electrospray ionization (ESI), atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (AP-MALDI) and vacuum MALDI (vMALDI) as well as a vMALDI-time-of-flight (TOF)/curved field-reflectron instrument fitted with a gas collision cell were used. For optimum comparability of data from different IT instruments, the CID conditions were standardized and only singly charged precursor ions were considered. Additionally, HE-CID data obtained from the TOF-based instrument were acquired and compared with LE-CID data from ITs. Major differences between trap-based and TOF-based CID data are that the latter data set lacks abundant additional loss of small neutrals (e.g. ammonia, water) but contains product ions down to the immonium-ion-type region, thereby allowing the detection of even single amino-acid (even unusual amino acids) substitutions. For several polypeptide antibiotics, mass spectrometric as well as tandem mass spectrometric data are shown and discussed for the first time, and some yet undescribed minor components are also reported. De novo sequencing of unusually linked minor components of (e.g. cyclic) polypeptides is practically impossible without knowledge of the exact structure and fragmentation behavior of the major components. Finally, the described standardized CID condition constitutes a basic prerequisite for creating a searchable, annotated MS(n)-database of bioactive compounds. The applied desorption/ionization techniques showed no significant influence on the type of product ions (neglecting relative abundances of product ions formed) observed, and therefore the type of analyzer connected with the CID process mainly determines the type of fragment ions.

Cicadapeptins I and II: new Aib-containing peptides from the entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps heteropoda

Fermentation extracts of Cordyceps heteropoda (ARSEF #1880), an entomopathogenic fungus isolated from an Australian cicada, yielded a known antifungal compound, myriocin, and a complex microheterogeneous family of novel nonribosomal peptides, each containing two residues of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib). Structure elucidation of two major components of the peptide mixture, cicadapeptins I and II (1 and 2), was accomplished by amino acid analysis and various MS, 1-D NMR, and 2-D NMR experiments. Both compounds are acylated at the N-terminus by n-decanoic acid and amidated at the C-terminus by 1,2-diamino-4-methylpentane. The amino acid sequence of cicadapeptin I is N-terminus-Hyp-Hyp-Val-Aib-Gln-Aib-Leu-C-terminus. Ile substitutes for Leu in cicadapeptin II. To our knowledge, this is the first report from fungi of consecutive Hyp or Pro residues in a nonribosomal linear peptide. ROESY data indicated that the cicadapeptins adopt a helical conformation. Cicadapeptins I and II displayed antibacterial activity and limited antifungal activity.

The occurrence of peptaibols and structurally related peptaibiotics in fungi and their mass spectrometric identification via diagnostic fragment ions

Peptaibols and related peptide antibiotics (peptaibiotics) display diagnostically useful fragmentation patterns during mass spectrometry (FAB-MS, ESI-CID-MS/MS and CID-MSn]. The paper compiles fragmentation data of pseudo-molecular ions reported in the literature as a guide to the rational identification of recurrently isolated and new peptaibols and peptaibiotics. Taxonomic and ecological aspects of microorganisms producing peptaibols and peptaibiotics are discussed.

High-throughput one-bead-one-compound approach to peptide-encoded combinatorial libraries: MALDI-MS analysis of single TentaGel beads

The identification of pharmacologically promising compounds (lead compounds) from combinatorial libraries is frequently limited by the throughput of the analytical technique employed. Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS) offers high sensitivity, mass accuracy (m/Deltam > 500 000), and sequencing capabilities. A rapid and efficient method for high-throughput analysis of single beads from peptide-encoded combinatorial libraries with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry is presented. Encoding peptides on single beads are identified and structurally characterized by MALDI time-of-flight (TOF) and ultrahigh-resolution MALDI Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry. A strategy of on-probe sample preparation is developed to minimize handling of the beads.

Evidence for the direct desorption of crown ether-metal ion complexes in liquid secondary Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The liquid secondary ionization mass spectra of crown ether solutions and crown ether solutions containing alkali metal cations were generated. Cesium cations acted as both the primary ion beam and as a competing gas-selvedge-phase reactant. The data suggest that crown ether complexes formed in the condensed phase survive intact the fast ion bombarding event and the transition into the gas phase. The data further suggest that crown ether complexes formed in the condensed phase predominate in the ion spectrum over the corresponding complexes formed in the selvedge.

Sequence-ion studies in peptides: the generation of C" ions

The mechanism for the formation of C"-type ions from protonated peptides, produced under conditions of fast-atom bombardment and collisional activation was investigated. Comparison of the tandem mass spectra of the [M + H]+ ions of a model peptide and the corresponding [Md + D]+ ions, in which all exchangeable hydrogens are replaced with deuterium, revealed that neither the carboxylic hydrogen nor a hydrogen from a nitrogen atom is involved in the process of migration of a hydrogen which leads to the formation of C"n-type ions. The most feasible position from which the transferred hydrogen originates is that at the first C-atom in the side-chain of the adjacent amino acid.

Analysis of peptides of human seminal plasma by mass spectrometry

A procedure is described to isolate peptides from complex biological fluids (e.g. seminal plasma) in pure form within a short time. The sequence of the isolated peptides was determined by liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry in combination with enzymatic cleavage reactions. The method was used for the structure elucidation of a peptide of molecular weight 2766 u with an N-terminal pyroglutamine residue.

Sequencing of peptides containing alanine, asparagine, histidine, isoleucine and tryptophan by partial methanolysis and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

Five peptides containing the amino acids alanine, asparagine, histidine, isoleucine and tryptophan were investigated by partial methanolysis and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry in order to examine the behaviour of these amino acid residues under the conditions employed in the methanolytic step. The results obtained confirm that partial methanolysis prior to mass analysis increases considerably the content of sequence information in the mass spectra and that no secondary reactions occur in the residues of the amino acids now investigated, with the exception of the esterification of the glutamic acid carboxyl group and partial conversion of the asparagine amide group in the corresponding methyl ester.

Cuttlefish sperm protamines. 2. Mass spectrometry of protamines and related peptides

The sequence of very basic proteins such as protamines (more than 50% arginines) and related peptides has been determined using mass spectrometry in conjunction with Edman degradation. The capabilities of three mass spectrometric (MS) techniques [fast-atom-bombardment (FAB), 252Cf plasma desorption (252CFPD) and electrospray (ES)] have been evaluated on stallion protamine 1, cuttlefish protamine, and the corresponding cleavage peptides. In contrast to FAB-MS and 252Cf PD-MS, ES-MS made possible an easy determination of the molecular mass of the intact protamines (approximately 8 kDa). With ES-MS about 0.2 nmol was sufficient to yield a mass measurement with an accuracy of 0.05%. On peptides smaller than 3500 Da, both FAB-MS and 252Cf PD-MS allowed mass measurements with an accuracy of 0.1%. 252Cf PD-MS appeared more sensitive than FAB-MS by about a factor of 10. FAB-MS is nevertheless particularly interesting since in most cases it produced spectra with intense A-type fragmentation ions which provided reliable primary structure information.

Analysis of the amino acid sequence of peptides by mass spectrometry. An ion notation proposal

A new nomenclature is proposed that allows a precise and concise description of mass spectrometric fragments derived from peptides. The nomenclature differs from existing methods by specifically accommodating (1) extended or unusual amino acid residues, (2) cyclic- and cyclodepsipeptides, and (3) residues contained in branches of the main chain.

Determination of the primary structure of peptides using fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

The determination of the amino acid composition and sequence of a peptide, using both conventional and tandem fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, is presented. First a list of potential empirical formulae is generated using the accurate mass and isotopic peak intensity ratios from the molecular ion cluster. The formulae are mathematically analyzed to ensure that they correspond to linear peptides composed of 19 common amino acids. Then using the ions below m/z 160 Da, which are characteristic of the amino acid content of the peptide, the formulae are decomposed into possible amino acid compositions. From each composition sequences are generated and their predicted fragment ions are compared to ions present in the mass spectrum. A score based on the intensities and the occurrence of consecutive sequence fragments is calculated. Finally sequences with the ten highest scores are retained. Analyses performed on typical peptides with molecular weights below 1500 Da indicate that identification can generally be achieved using this approach.

Fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry for amino acid sequence determination in tripeptides

Mass spectral information obtained from the spectra of 26 tripeptides was carefully studied. The data were obtained from their mass, metastable ion and collisional activation spectra. On the basis of the positive ion tandem mass spectra a simple and unambiguous method for the sequence determination of amino acids in tripeptides and Y3" ions is proposed. The use of negative ion spectra for sequence determination in tripeptides is evaluated.

Factors affecting the fragmentation of peptides in fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

Positive ion fast atom bombardment mass spectra of a series of biologically active peptides were obtained in order to ascertain conditions that contribute to an increase in fragment ion abundance of such peptides. The effect of derivatization, hydrophobic character and the presence of acid in the matrix on fragmentation of peptides were all investigated. It is shown that a substantial increase in fragment signal ion abundance is observed when mineral acid is present in the matrix, and is in accord with the gas-phase collision model proposed by Kebarle.

Peptide sequencing by partial methanolysis and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

The possibility of obtaining sequence information on peptides by partial methanolysis with 5 N HCl in dry methanol and subsequent fast atom bombardment (FAB) of the resulting mixture was investigated. This procedure was tested using four peptides of different size and amino acid composition. The results obtained demonstrate that this approach is effective in producing FAB spectra containing more sequence information than the spectra of the untreated peptides. For the compounds investigated the spectra contain enough information to unequivocally reassemble the original sequence.

Identification of amino acids in the fast atom bombardment mass spectra of peptides

The low-mass region (less than m/z 200) in the positive ion fast atom bombardment mass spectra of peptides generally contains sufficient information for amino acid identification.

The determination of the amino acid sequence in the fast atom bombardment mass spectra of dipeptides

The positive ion fast atom bombardment mass spectra of dipeptides all exhibit the MH+ ion as the most abundant one. Direct identification of the N-terminal amino acid in the mass spectrum is not possible because of the absence of its acylium ion. Fortunately the identification of the C-terminus is often possible because of the occurrence of the protonated C-terminal amino acid as a result of MH+ ion fragmentation. In all cases, including those where the abundance of this C-terminal ion is too low for identification, the metastable ion spectrum of the MH+ ion provides sufficient information for an unequivocal sequence determination.

Practical hints for peptide sequencing by soft ionization methods

Practical hints are summarized for the investigation of peptides by soft ionization methods based on liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry. The method aims: to purify the sample; to force a peptide to the surface by ion pair formation; to recover the sample used for mass spectral analysis; to distinguish between Lys and Gln by derivatization; to spot amino acids in the low mass region; and to improve sequence information by use of peptide fragments, not described previously.

A study of the positive and negative ion fast atom bombardment mass spectra of alpha-amino acids

The fast atom bombardment mass spectra of 24 alpha-amino acids have been studied. These include the mass spectra as well as the metastable ion MI and collisional activation CA spectra of [M + H]+ and [M - H]- ions. The extent of the common neutral losses as NH3, H2O and CO2H2 in the positive ion spectra is governed by the nature of the side chain. The relationship between the fragmentation behaviour of the negative ions and the presence of particular functional groups is less obvious. Mixtures of amino acids in glycerol show pronounced surface effects.

Determination of the empirical formula of peptides by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

A method for calculating the empirical formulae of peptides from mass spectrometric data is described. Exact mass measurement data and isotopic peak ratios are used to generate a list of potential empirical formulae that fit a given compound within experimental error. The formulae are then analysed by a mathematical algorithm and only those corresponding to chain peptides formed from the basic amino acids are retained. Calculations conducted for typical peptides indicate that the approach may be useful for peptide identification if the experimental values are determined within an acceptable range of errors. Experimental measurements of the exact mass and isotopic peak ratios made using typical peptides demonstrate the feasibility of the approach.

Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry analysis of opioid peptides

Positive and negative ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometries have been used to determine the amino acid sequence-determining fragment ion information of opioid peptides containing from 5 to 10 amino acid residues. The opioids investigated include several enkephalins, dynorphin A fragments 1-7 through 1-10, and alpha- and beta-neoendorphins. Data obtained in the two ionization polarities provide complementary information and exhibit the C-terminal- and the N-terminal-containing amino acid sequence-determining fragment ions that are formed by cleavage of the bond between the carbonyl group and the alpha-carbon (-CHR-CO-), the peptide amide bond (-CO-NH-), and the amino-alkyl (-NH-CHR-) bond. The C-terminal sequence ions are dominant in the positive ion mode, whereas the C-terminal and N-terminal ions are equally important in the negative ion mode. Detection limits for full mass scans extend down to the picomole range. The apparent role of hydrophobicity of the amino acid residues on the fragmentation characteristics of the peptide is discussed.

Isolation and sequence determination of trichorzianines A antifungal peptides from Trichoderma harzianum

Trichorzianines A, membrane active peptides of the peptaibol class, were isolated from cultures of the mould Trichoderma harzianum. Trichorzianines A were separated into pure components by HPLC on octadecyl bonded and SiO2 phases successively. Nine trichorzianines A (IIa, IIIa, IIIb, IIIc, IVb, Vb, VIa, VIb and VII) were isolated from the complex microheterogeneous mixture. Their N-terminal amino acid is acetylated, the C-terminal amino alcohol is either tryptophanol or phenylalaninol, 7 to 8 of the 19 residues are alpha-aminoisobutyric acid. Gas chromatography on a chiral phase showed isovaline to have the D-configuration and all the other optically active amino acids and amino alcohols to have the L-configuration. The amino acid sequences were determined from their positive ion FAB mass spectra which exhibited the preferential cleavage of the Aib 12-Pro 13 amide bond as a main fragmentation. The resulting fragments subsequently underwent amide bond ruptures that generated two series of abundant acylium ions which enabled direct determination of the 1-19 sequence. The relative position of the isomeric amino acids in the sequence of trichorzianine AVII was assigned from analysis of the N- and C-terminal oligopeptides yielded by its selective acidic hydrolysis. The microheterogeneity of trichorzianines A results mainly from single or multiple substitution of amino acids at the specific positions 5, 14, 16 and 19.

Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry in the pharmaceutical analysis of drugs

The principles, techniques and value of fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry are summarized in this revïew. Applications of the method in such areas as molecular weight determination, standard and metabolic studies, and peptide sequencing, as well as direct quantitative analysis, are surveyed, with examples from several classes of compounds with pharmacological activity.