Multi-stage collisionally-activated decomposition in an ion trap for identification of sequences, structures and bn --> bn-1 fragmentation pathways of protonated cyclic peptides

A family of small, cyclic peptides buried in preproalbumin since the Eocene epoch

Orbitides are cyclic ribosomally-synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) from plants; they consist of standard amino acids arranged in an unbroken chain of peptide bonds. These cyclic peptides are stable and range in size and topologies making them potential scaffolds for peptide drugs; some display valuable biological activities. Recently two orbitides whose sequences were buried in those of seed storage albumin precursors were said to represent the first observable step in the evolution of larger and hydrophilic bicyclic peptides. Here, guided by transcriptome data, we investigated peptide extracts of 40 species specifically for the more hydrophobic orbitides and confirmed 44 peptides by tandem mass spectrometry, as well as obtaining solution structures for four of them by NMR. Acquiring transcriptomes from the phylogenetically important Corymboideae family confirmed the precursor genes for the peptides (called PawS1-Like or PawL1) are confined to the Asteroideae, a subfamily of the huge plant family Asteraceae. To be confined to the Asteroideae indicates these peptides arose during the Eocene epoch around 45 Mya. Unlike other orbitides, all PawL-derived Peptides contain an Asp residue, needed for processing by asparaginyl endopeptidase. This study has revealed what is likely to be a very large new family of orbitides, uniquely buried alongside albumin and processed by asparaginyl endopeptidase.

Analysis of Intrinsic Peptide Detectability via Integrated Label-Free and SRM-Based Absolute Quantitative Proteomics

Quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics of complex biological samples remains challenging in part due to the variability and charge competition arising during electrospray ionization (ESI) of peptides and the subsequent transfer and detection of ions. These issues preclude direct quantification from signal intensity alone in the absence of a standard. A deeper understanding of the governing principles of peptide ionization and exploitation of the inherent ionization and detection parameters of individual peptides is thus of great value. Here, using the yeast proteome as a model system, we establish the concept of peptide F-factor as a measure of detectability, closely related to ionization efficiency. F-factor is calculated by normalizing peptide precursor ion intensity by absolute abundance of the parent protein. We investigated F-factor characteristics in different shotgun proteomics experiments, including across multiple ESI-based LC-MS platforms. We show that F-factors mirror previously observed physicochemical predictors as peptide detectability but demonstrate a nonlinear relationship between hydrophobicity and peptide detectability. Similarly, we use F-factors to show how peptide ion coelution adversely affects detectability and ionization. We suggest that F-factors have great utility for understanding peptide detectability and gas-phase ion chemistry in complex peptide mixtures, selection of surrogate peptides in targeted MS studies, and for calibration of peptide ion signal in label-free workflows. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD003472.

Sequence elucidation of an unknown cyclic peptide of high doping potential by ETD and CID tandem mass spectrometry

Identification of an unknown substance without any information remains a daunting challenge despite advances in chemistry and mass spectrometry. However, an unknown cyclic peptide in a sample with very limited volume seized at a Pennsylvania racetrack has been successfully identified. The unknown sample was determined by accurate mass measurements to contain a small unknown peptide as the major component. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the unknown peptide revealed the presence of Lys (not Gln, by accurate mass), Phe, and Arg residues, and absence of any y-type product ion. The latter, together with the tryptic digestion results of the unusual deamidation and absence of any tryptic cleavage, suggests a cyclic structure for the peptide. Electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) of the unknown peptide indicated the presence of Gln (not Lys, by the unusual deamidation), Phe, and Arg residues and their connectivity. After all the results were pieced together, a cyclic tetrapeptide, cyclo[Arg-Lys-N(C(6)H(9))Gln-Phe], is proposed for the unknown peptide. Observations of different amino acid residues from CID and ETD experiments for the peptide were interpreted by a fragmentation pathway proposed, as was preferential CID loss of a Lys residue from the peptide. ETD was used for the first time in sequencing of a cyclic peptide; product ions resulting from ETD of the peptide identified were categorized into two types and named pseudo-b and pseudo-z ions that are important for sequencing of cyclic peptides. The ETD product ions were interpreted by fragmentation pathways proposed. Additionally, multi-stage CID mass spectrometry cannot provide complete sequence information for cyclic peptides containing adjacent Arg and Lys residues. The identified cyclic peptide has not been documented in the literature, its pharmacological effects are unknown, but it might be a "designer" drug with athletic performance-enhancing effects.

Cyclization reaction of peptide fragment ions during multistage collisionally activated decomposition: an inducement to lose internal amino-acid residues

During characterization of some peptides (linear precursors of the cyclic peptides showing potential to be anticancer drugs) in an ion trap, it was noted that many internal amino acid residues could be lost from singly charged b ions. The phenomenon was not obvious at the first stage of collisionally activated decomposition (CAD), but was apparent at multiple stages of CAD. The unique fragmentation consisting of multiple steps is induced by a cyclization reaction of b ions, the mechanism of which has been probed by experiments of N-acetylation, MS(n), rearranged-ion design, and activation-time adjustment. The fragmentation of synthetic cyclic peptides demonstrates that a cyclic peptide intermediate (CPI) formed by b ion cyclization exhibits the same fragmentation pattern as a protonated cyclic peptide. Although no rules for the cyclization reaction were discerned in the experiments of peptide modification, the fragmentations of a number of b ions indicate that the "Pro and Asn/Gln effects" can influence ring openings of CPIs. In addition, large-scale losses of internal residues from different positions of a-type ions have been observed when pure helium was used as collision gas. The fragmentation is initiated by a cyclization reaction forming an a-type ion CPI. This CPI with a fixed-charge structure cannot be influenced by the "Pro effect", causing a selective ring opening at the amide bond Pro-Xxx rather than Xxx-Pro. With the knowledge of the unique fragmentations leading to internal residue losses, the misidentification of fragments and sequences of peptides may be avoided.