A negative ion mass spectrometry approach to identify cross-linked peptides utilizing characteristic disulfide fragmentations

Cross-linking reactions in food proteins and proteomic approaches for their detection

Various protein cross-linking reactions leading to molecular polymerization and covalent aggregates have been described in processed foods. They are an undesired side effect of processes designed to reduce bacterial load, extend shelf life, and modify technological properties, as well as being an expected result of treatments designed to modify raw material texture and function. Although the formation of these products is known to affect the sensory and technological properties of foods, the corresponding cross-linking reactions and resulting protein polymers have not yet undergone detailed molecular characterization. This is essential for describing how their generation can be related to food processing conditions and quality parameters. Due to the complex structure of cross-linked species, bottom-up proteomic procedures developed to characterize various amino acid modifications associated with food processing conditions currently offer a limited molecular description of bridged peptide structures. Recent progress in cross-linking mass spectrometry for the topological characterization of protein complexes has facilitated the development of various proteomic methods and bioinformatic tools for unveiling bridged species, which can now also be used for the detailed molecular characterization of polymeric cross-linked products in processed foods. We here examine their benefits and limitations in terms of evaluating cross-linked food proteins and propose future scenarios for application in foodomics. They offer potential for understanding the protein cross-linking formation mechanisms in processed foods, and how the inherent beneficial properties of treated foodstuffs can be preserved or enhanced.

Negative ion cleavages of (M-H)- anions of peptides. Part 3. Post-translational modifications

It is now 25 years since we commenced the study of the negative-ion fragmentations of peptides and we have recently concluded this research with investigations of the negative-ion chemistry of most post-translational functional groups. Our first negative-ion peptide review (Bowie, Brinkworth, & Dua, 2002) dealt with the characteristic backbone fragmentations and side-chain cleavages from (M-H)^- ions of underivatized peptides, while the second (Bilusich & Bowie, 2009) included negative-ion backbone cleavages for Ser and Cys and some initial data on some post-translational groups including disulfides. This third and final review provides a brief summary of the major backbone and side chain cleavages outlined before (Bowie, Brinkworth, & Dua, 2002) and describes the quantum mechanical hydrogen tunneling associated with some proton transfers in enolate anion/enolate systems. The review then describes, in more depth, the negative-ion cleavages of the post-translational groups Kyn, isoAsp, pyroglu, disulfides, phosphates, and sulfates. Particular emphasis is devoted to disulfides (both intra- and intermolecular) and phosphates because of the extensive and spectacular anion chemistry shown by these groups. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev.

Probing Protein 3D Structures and Conformational Changes Using Electrochemistry-Assisted Isotope Labeling Cross-Linking Mass Spectrometry

This study presents a new chemical cross-linking mass spectrometry (MS) method in combination with electrochemistry and isotope labeling strategy for probing both protein three-dimensional (3D) structures and conformational changes. For the former purpose, the target protein/protein complex is cross-linked with equal mole of premixed light and heavy isotope labeled cross-linkers carrying electrochemically reducible disulfide bonds (i.e., DSP-d0 and DSP-d8 in this study, DSP = dithiobis[succinimidyl propionate]), digested and then electrochemically reduced followed with online MS analysis. Cross-links can be quickly identified because of their reduced intensities upon electrolysis and the presence of doublet isotopic peak characteristics. In addition, electroreduction converts cross-links into linear peptides, facilitating MS/MS analysis to gain increased information about their sequences and modification sites. For the latter purpose of probing protein conformational changes, an altered procedure is adopted, in which the protein in two different conformations is cross-linked using DSP-d0 and DSP-d8 separately, and then the two protein samples are mixed in 1:1 molar ratio. The merged sample is subjected to digestion and electrochemical mass spectrometric analysis. In such a comparative cross-linking experiment, cross-links could still be rapidly recognized based on their responses to electrolysis. More importantly, the ion intensity ratios of light and heavy isotope labeled cross-links reveal the conformational changes of the protein, as exemplified by examining the effect of Ca(2+) on calmodulin conformation alternation. This new cross-linking MS method is fast and would have high value in structural biology. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Integration of electrochemistry with ultra-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

This study presents the development of ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) mass spectrometry (MS) combined with electrochemistry (EC) for the first time and its application for the structural analysis of proteins/peptides that contain disulfide bonds. In our approach, a protein/peptide mixture sample undergoes a fast UPLC separation and subsequent electrochemical reduction in an electrochemical flow cell followed by online MS and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analyses. The electrochemical cell is coupled to the mass spectrometer using our recently developed desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) interface. Using this UPLC/EC/DESI-MS method, peptides that contain disulfide bonds can be differentiated from those without disulfide bonds, as the former are electroactive and reducible. MS/MS analysis of the disulfide-reduced peptide ions provides increased information on the sequence and disulfide-linkage pattern. In a reactive DESI- MS detection experiment in which a supercharging reagent was used to dope the DESI spray solvent, increased charging was obtained for the UPLC-separated proteins. Strikingly, upon online electrolytic reduction, supercharged proteins (e.g., α-lactalbumin) showed even higher charging, which will be useful in top- down protein structure MS analysis as increased charges are known to promote protein ion dissociation. Also, the separation speed and sensitivity are enhanced by approximately 1(~)2 orders of magnitude by using UPLC for the liquid chromatography (LC)/EC/MS platform, in comparison to the previously used high- performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This UPLC/EC/DESI-MS method combines the power of fast UPLC separation, fast electrochemical conversion, and online MS structural analysis for a potentially valuable tool for proteomics research and bioanalysis.

Cross-linking electrochemical mass spectrometry for probing protein three-dimensional structures

Chemical cross-linking combined with mass spectrometry (MS) is powerful to provide protein three-dimensional structure information but difficulties in identifying cross-linked peptides and elucidating their structures limit its usefulness. To tackle these challenges, this study presents a novel cross-linking MS in conjunction with electrochemistry using disulfide-bond-containing dithiobis[succinimidyl propionate] (DSP) as the cross-linker. In our approach, electrolysis of DSP-bridged protein/peptide products, as online monitored by desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is highly informative. First, as disulfide bonds are electrochemically reducible, the cross-links are subject to pronounced intensity decrease upon electrolytic reduction, suggesting a new way to identify cross-links. Also, mass shift before and after electrolysis suggests the linkage pattern of cross-links. Electrochemical reduction removes disulfide bond constraints, possibly increasing sequence coverage for tandem MS analysis and yielding linear peptides whose structures are more easily determined than their cross-linked precursor peptides. Furthermore, this cross-linking electrochemical MS method is rapid, due to the fast nature of electrochemical conversion (much faster than traditional chemical reduction) and no need for chromatographic separation, which would be of high value for structural proteomics research.

Integration of online digestion and electrolytic reduction with mass spectrometry for rapid disulfide-containing protein structural analysis

Bottom-up structural analysis of disulfide-bond containing proteins usually involves time-consuming offline enzymatic digestion, chemical reduction and thiol protection prior to mass spectrometric detection, which takes many hours. This paper presents an expedited bottom-up approach, employing desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) coupled with online pepsin digestion and online electrochemical reduction of disulfide bonds. Peptides are generated in high digestion yield as its precursor protein in acidic aqueous solution flows through a pepsin column, which can undergo direct electrolysis. The electrolytic behaviors of peptides, as online monitored by DESI-MS, suggest the presence or absence of disulfide bonds in the peptides, and also provide information to relate disulfide bond-containing peptide precursors to their corresponding reduced products. Furthermore, selective electrolysis simply using different reduction potentials can be adopted to generate either partially or fully reduced peptides to assist disulfide bond mapping. In addition, it turns out that DESI is suitable for ionizing peptides in water without organic solvent additives (organic solvent additives would not be compatible with the use of pepsin column). The feasibility of this method was demonstrated using insulin, a protein carrying three pairs of disulfide-bonds as an example, in which all disulfide bond linkages and most of the protein sequence were successfully determined. Strikingly, this method shortens the sample digestion, reduction and MS detection from hours to less than 7 min, which could be of high value in high-throughput proteomics research.

Chromogenic chemical probe for protein structural characterization via ultraviolet photodissociation mass spectrometry

A chemical probe/ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) mass spectrometry strategy for evaluating structures of proteins and protein complexes is reported, as demonstrated for lysozyme and beta-lactoglobulin with and without bound ligands. The chemical probe, NN, incorporates a UV chromophore that endows peptides with high cross sections at 351 nm, a wavelength not absorbed by unmodified peptides. Thus, NN-modified peptides can readily be differentiated from nonmodified peptides in complex tryptic digests created upon proteolysis of proteins after their exposure to the NN chemical probe. The NN chemical probe also affords two diagnostic reporter ions detected upon UVPD of the NN-modified peptide that provides a facile method for the identification of NN peptides within complex mixtures. Quantitation of the modified and unmodified peptides allows estimation of the surface accessibilities of lysine residues based on their relative reactivities with the NN chemical probe.

Biomolecular analysis and cancer diagnostics by negative mode probe electrospray ionization

We have examined several combinations of solvents and probes with the aim of optimizing the ionization conditions for biomolecules e.g., proteins, peptides and lipids by negative mode probe electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (PESI-MS). With the data presented in this study, negative-mode PESI-MS can be considered as a potential tool for biomolecular analysis and cancer diagnostics because of its simplicity in instrumental configuration. A sharper sampling probe was found to be better for obtaining high quality mass spectra because it can generate stable electrospray without the occurrence of gas breakdown. Although the best conditions may depend on each sample, aqueous organic solvent solutions, especially isopropanol-H(2)O (1/1) with a pH of ≥7, are shown to be preferable for negative-mode PESI-MS, which was successfully applied to colon cancer diagnosis.

Negative ion fragmentations of disulfide-containing cross-linking reagents are competitive with aspartic acid side-chain-induced cleavages

RATIONALE

It has been shown that the disulfide moiety in the chemical cross-linking reagent dithiobis(succinimidyl)propionate (DSP), which is similar in structure to the natural cystine disulfide, cleaves preferentially to the peptide backbone in the negative ion mode. However, the tandem mass (MS/MS) spectra of peptides in the negative ion mode are often dominated by products arising from low-energy, side-chain-induced processes, which may compete with any facile cross-linker fragmentations and complicate identification of chemical cross-links in a complex mixture.

METHODS

Two disulfide-containing crosslinking reagents similar to DSP, but with varying spacer arm lengths, were synthesized and the MS/MS spectra of several model peptides cross-linked with these reagents were investigated. Theoretical calculations were used to describe the energetics of the cross-linker fragmentations as well as several low-energy side-chain-induced fragmentations which compete with disulfide cleavages.

RESULTS

Altering the spacer arm length of the cross-linker, such that there is one methylene group less than in DSP, results in a more facile cleavage process, whilst the opposite is true when a methylene group is added. Of the low-energy side-chain-induced fragmentations studied, only those from aspartic acid compete significantly with those of the cross-linker disulfide.

CONCLUSIONS

Low-energy cleavage processes from aspartic acid that compete with cross-linker fragmentations occur in the negative ion MS/MS spectra of the cross-linked peptides, irrespective of the spacer arm length. Other fragmentation pathways do not significantly interfere with low-energy disulfide cleavage, making the presence of additional product ions in the MS/MS spectrum diagnostic for the presence of aspartic acid.

Mass Spectrometry and its Applications in Life Sciences

Deciphering the biological and clinical significance of the proteins is investigated by mass spectrometry in a relatively new field, named proteomics. Mass spectrometry is, however, also used in chemistry for many years. In this Research Front we try to show the potential use of mass spectrometry in chemical, environmental and biomedical research and also to illustrate the applications of mass spectrometry in proteomics.

Chemical Cross-linking and Mass Spectrometry for the Structural Analysis of Protein Assemblies

Cellular functions are performed and regulated at a molecular level by the coordinated action of intricate protein assemblies, and hence the study of protein folding, structure, and interactions is vital to the appreciation and understanding of complex biological problems. In the past decade, continued development of chemical cross-linking methodologies combined with mass spectrometry has seen this approach develop to enable detailed structural information to be elucidated for protein assemblies often intractable by traditional structural biology methods. In this review article, we describe recent advances in reagent design, cross-linking protocols, mass spectrometric analysis, and incorporation of cross-linking constraints into structural models, which are contributing to overcoming the intrinsic challenges of the cross-linking method. We also highlight pioneering applications of chemical cross-linking mass spectrometry approaches to the study of structure and function of protein assemblies.