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ABSTRACT: When ionized by electrospray from acidic solutions, the tripeptides Pro-His-Xaa (Xaa = Gly, Ala, Leu) form abundant doubly-protonated ions, [M + 2H]2+. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of these doubly-protonated species results, in part, in formation of b(2)(2+) ions, which fragment further by loss of CO to form a(2)(2+) ions; the latter fragment by loss of CO to form the Pro and His iminium [immonium is commonly used in peptide MS work] ions. Although larger doubly-charged b ions are known, this represents the first detailed study of b(2)(2+) ions in CID of small doubly protonated peptides. The most abundant CID products of the studied doubly-protonated peptides arise mainly in charge separation involving two primary fragmentation channels, formation of the b2/y1 pair and formation of the a1/y2 pair. Combined molecular dynamics and density functional theory calculations are used to gain insight into the structures and fragmentation pathways of doubly-protonated Pro-His-Gly including the energetics of potential protonation sites, backbone cleavages, post-cleavage charge-separation reactions and the isomeric structures of b(2)(2+) ions. Three possible structures are considered for the b(2)(2+) ions: the oxazolone, diketopiperazine, and fused ring isomers. The last is formed by cleavage of the His-Gly amide bond on a pathway that is initiated by nucleophilic attack of one of the His side-chain imidazole nitrogens. Our calculations indicate the b(2)(2+) ion population is dominated by the oxazolone and/or fused ring isomers.
Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry 08/2009; 20(11):2135-43. · 4.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: With the invention of electrospray ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization, scientists employing modern mass spectrometry naturally face new challenges with respect to background interferences and contaminants that might not play a significant role in traditional or other analytical techniques. Efforts to continuously minimize sample volumes and measurable concentrations increase the need to understand where these interferences come from, how they can be identified, and if they can be eliminated. Knowledge of identity enables their use as internal calibrants for accurate mass measurements. This review/tutorial summarizes current literature on reported contaminants and introduces a number of novel interferences that have been observed and identified in our laboratories over the past decade. These include both compounds of proteinaceous and non-proteinaceous nature. In the supplemental data a spreadsheet is provided that contains a searchable ion list of all compounds identified to date.
Analytica chimica acta 11/2008; 627(1):71-81. · 4.31 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The fragmentation reactions of the protonated dipeptides Gly-Arg and Arg-Gly have been studied using collision-induced dissociation (CID) in a quadrupole ion trap, by in-source CID in a single-quadrupole mass spectrometer and by CID in the quadrupole cell of a QqTOF mass spectrometer. In agreement with earlier quadrupole ion trap studies (Farrugia, J. M.; O'Hair, R. A. J., Int. J. Mass Spectrom., 2003, 222, 229), the CID mass spectra obtained with the ion trap for the MH(+) ions and major fragment ions are very similar for the two isomers indicating rearrangement to a common structure before fragmentation. In contrast, in-source CID of the MH(+) ions and QqTOF CID of the MH(+), [MH - NH(3)](+) and [MH <23 HN = C(NH(2))(2)](+) ions provide distinctly different spectra for the isomeric dipeptides, indicating that rearrangement to a common structure has not occurred to a significant extent under these conditions even near the threshold for fragmentation in the QqTOF instrument. Clearly, under normal operating conditions significantly different fragmentation behavior is observed in the ion trap and beam-type experiments. This different behavior probably can be attributed to the shorter observation times and concomitant higher excitation energies in the in-source and QqTOF experiments compared to the long observation times and lower excitation energies relevant to the ion trap experiments. Based largely on elemental compositions derived from accurate mass measurements in QqTOF studies fragmentation schemes are proposed for the MH(+), [MH - NH(3)](+), and [MH - (HN = C(NH(2))(2))](+) ions.
Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry 11/2007; 18(11):1959-66. · 4.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of protonated YAGFL-NH2 leads to nondirect sequence fragment ions that cannot directly be derived from the primary peptide structure. Experimental and theoretical evidence indicate that primary fragmentation of the intact peptide leads to the linear YAGFLoxa b5 ion with a C-terminal oxazolone ring that is attacked by the N-terminal amino group to induce formation of a cyclic peptide b5 isomer. The latter can undergo various proton transfer reactions and opens up to form something other than the YAGFLoxa linear b5 isomer, leading to scrambling of sequence information in the CID of protonated YAGFL-NH2.
Journal of the American Chemical Society 09/2006; 128(32):10364-5. · 9.91 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The collision-induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation reactions of a variety of deprotonated peptides containing proline have been studied in detail using MS(2) and MS(3) experiments, deuterium labelling and accurate mass measurements when necessary. The [M--H--CO(2)](-) (a(2)) ion derived from H-Pro-Xxx-OH dipeptides shows an unusual fragmentation involving loss of C(2)H(4); this fragmentation reaction is not observed for larger peptides. The primary fragmentation reactions of deprotonated tripeptides with an N-terminal proline are formation of a(3) and y(1) ions. When proline is in the central position of tripeptides, a(3), y(2) and y(1) ions are the primary fragmentation products of [M--H](-), while when the proline is in the C-terminal position, a(3)and y(1) ions are the major primary products. In the latter case, the a(3) ion fragments primarily to the ''b(2) ion; further evidence is presented that the ''b(2) ions have a deprotonated oxazolone structure. Larger deprotonated peptides having at least two amino acid residues N-terminal to proline show a distinct preference for cleavage of the amide bond N-terminal to proline to form, mainly, the appropriate y ion. This proline effect is compared and contrasted with the similar proline effect observed in the fragmentation of protonated peptides containing proline.
Journal of Mass Spectrometry 10/2005; 40(9):1173-86. · 3.27 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The high-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra of C, C, C, C and C are reported. In all cases, fragmentation occurs by loss of an even number of carbon atoms, in agreement with photodissociation studies of C and C. No charge-separation reactions are observed for the multiply charged ions. Collision-induced dissociation of C leads to a slight preference for formation of C, while dissociation of C and C shows a more pronounced preferenced for formation of C and C, respecstively. Under electron-capture Chemical-ionization conditions the fullerenes readily capture an electron to form the molecular anions. Collision-induced dissociation of C and C leads to elimination of 1, 2 and 4 carbon atoms; the elimination of one carbon is unique among larger carbon cluster ions. Charges inversion of the molecular anions leads to formation of the respective molecular cations and fragementation of these cations by loss of an even number of carbon atoms. Formation of C is slightly preferred in the C case, while C is the most abundant ion in the charge inversion mass spectrum of C.
Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 04/2005; 5(5):226 - 229. · 2.79 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The energy dependence of the fragmentation of a selection of ester enolate ions has been studied by variable, low-energy collision-induced dissociation experiments in the quadrupole collision cell of a hybrid BEQQ mass spectrometer. The dominant fragmentation reactions observed are where ΔH1 − ΔH2=PA([RCCO]−) − PA([ŔO]−) (PA=proton affinity). The anion of lowest proton affinity is formed preferentially at low internal energies with the yield of the anion of higher proton affinity increasing with increasing internal energy. The [CH3OCOCOCH2]− anion derived from methyl pyruvate forms [CH3OCO]− by reaction (2); this anion readily fragments to [CH3G]−+ CO consistent with a structure represented by a dipole-stabilized cluster of [CH3O]− and CO.Comparison of the 8-keV with the 50-eV collision-induced dissociation mass spectra indicated that the average internal energy of the fragmenting ions is considerably lower in the high-energy collisional experiments than it is in the low-energy collisional experiments.
Biological Mass Spectrometry 04/2005; 22(9):622 - 626. · 3.41 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The O−˙ chemical ionization (CI) mass spectra of the mono- to pentafluorobenzenes, fluorotoluenes and fluoroanisoles were measured. For comparison, the O−˙ CI mass spectra of toluene (including deuterium-labelled variants) and anisole were also measured. The major reaction channels of O−˙ with fluorobenzene involve H-atom displacement and H abstraction. With increasing fluoring substitution H+ abstraction increases in importance. For the tri- and tetrafluorobenzenes H abstractions is important only when there are two hydrogen ortho to each other. Reaction channels which are unique to the fluoroaromatic molecules involve the formation of [M + O – HF]−˙, which, for polyfluoro compounds, fragments further by elimination of HF or CO. For the fluoroanisoles, formation of FC6H4O− and elimination of CH2O from [M – H]− and [M – 2H]−˙ are important reaction channels. The formation of [M + O – H]− by reaction of O−. with toluene is shown to involve specific displacement of a ring hydrogen, whereas the formation of [M – H]− involves primarily abstraction of a proton from the methyl group. By contrast, H abstraction is non-specific and proceeds by three pathways: (i) abstraction of two hydrogens from the aromatic ring, (ii) abstraction of two hydrogens from the methyl group and (iii) abstraction of one hydrogen from each position; however, the resuls are not in accord with a random selection of hydrogens.
Biological Mass Spectrometry 04/2005; 28(10):1124 - 1128. · 3.41 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The fragmentation reactions of the singly-protonated oligoalanines trialanine to hexaalanine have been studied using energy-resolved mass spectrometry in MS(2) and MS(3) experiments. The primary fragmentation reactions are rationalized in terms of the b(x)-y(z) pathway of amide bond cleavage which results in formation of a proton-bound complex of an oxazolone and a peptide/amino acid; on decomposition of this complex the species of higher proton affinity preferentially retains the proton. For protonated pentaalanine and protonated hexaalanine the major primary fragmentation reaction involves cleavage of the C-terminal amide bond to form the appropriate b ion. The lower mass b ions originate largely, if not completely, by further fragmentation of the initially formed b ion. MS(3) energy-resolved experiments clearly show the fragmentation sequence b(n) --> b(n-1) --> b(n-2). A more minor pathway for the alanines involves the sequence b(n) --> a(n) --> b(n-1) --> b(n-2). The a(5) ion formed from hexaalanine loses, in part, NH(3) to begin the sequence of fragmentation reactions a(5) --> a(5)* --> a(4)* --> a(3)* where a(n)* = a(n) - NH(3). The a(3)* ion also is formed from the b(3) ion by the sequence b(3) --> a(3) --> a(3)* with the final step being sufficiently facile that the a(3) ion is not observed with significant intensity in CID mass spectra. A cyclic structure is proposed for the a(3)* ion.
Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry 01/2005; 15(12):1810-9. · 4.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The fragmentation reactions of deprotonated N-benzoyl peptides, specifically hippurylglycine, hippurylglyclyclycine, and hippurylphenylalanine (hippuryl = N-benzoylGly) have been studied using MS2 and MS3 experiments as well as deuterium labeling. A major fragment ion is observed at m/z 160 ([C9H6NO2]-) which, upon collisional activation, mainly eliminates CO2 indicating that the two oxygen atoms have become bonded to the same carbon. This observation is rationalized in terms of formation of deprotonated 2-phenyl-5-oxazolone. Various pathways to the deprotonated oxazolone have been elucidated through MS3 experiments. Fragmentation of deprotonated N-acetylalanylalanine gives a relatively weak signal at m/z 112 which, upon collisional activation, fragments, in part, by loss of CO2 leading to the conclusion that the m/z 112 ion is deprotonated 2,4-dimethyl-5-oxazolone.
Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry 05/2004; 15(4):446-56. · 4.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Tandem mass spectrometric experiments have been carried out on the protonated amides H-Gly-Ala-NH2, H-Ala-Gly-NH2, H-Ala-Val-NH2, H-Val-Ala-pNA, H-Leu-Phe-NH2, H-Phe-Leu-NH2, H-Phe-Tyr-NH2 and H-Tyr-Phe-NH2 with particular emphasis on the fragmentation of the isomeric a2 ions derived therefrom. Primary fragmentation reactions of the protonated amides involve formation of the y1" and b2 ions with further fragmentation of the b2 ion to form the a2 ion which fragments to form iminium ions. Collision-induced dissociation studies of the mass-selected a2 ions were carried out. For the Gly-Ala, Ala-Gly and Val-Ala a2 ions, weak signals were observed corresponding to loss of CO from the a2 ion. With the exception of the Gly-Ala, Ala-Gly and Val-Ala a2 ions, both possible iminium ions (a1 and the internal iminium ion) are observed with the most abundant being that formed by proton attachment to the imine of higher proton affinity. The results provide strong support for the recently proposed (El Aribi et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003; 125: 9229) mechanism of fragmentation of a2 ions which involves elimination of CO from the a2 ion to form a proton-bound complex of two imines. Based on this mechanism ab initio calculations of the total energies of the a2 ions and the transition states for fragmentation have been carried out giving the energy barrier for fragmentation of each a2 ion. The experimental results are interpreted in terms of these energetics data, unimolecular rate constants calculated by using the RRKM theory, and the imine proton affinities.
Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 02/2004; 18(14):1635-40. · 2.79 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The fragmentation reactions of deprotonated peptides containing aspartic acid have been elucidated using MS2 and MS3 experiments and accurate mass measurements where necessary. The disposition of labile (N and O bonded) hydrogens in the fragmentation products has been studied by exchanging the labile hydrogens for deuterium whereby the [MD]− ion is formed on electrospray ionization. α-Aspartyl and β-aspartyl dipeptides give very similar fragment ion spectra on collisional activation, involving for both species primarily formation of the y1 ion and loss of H2O from [MH]− followed by further fragmentation, thus precluding the distinction of the isomeric species by negative ion tandem mass spectrometry. Dipeptides of sequence HXxxAspOH give characteristic spectra different from the α- and β-isomers. For larger peptides containing aspartic acid a common fragmentation reaction involves nominal cleavage of the NC bond N-terminal to the aspartic acid residue to form a c ion (deprotonated amino acid amide (c1) or peptide amide (cn)) and the complimentary product involving elimination of a neutral amino acid amide or peptide amide. When aspartic acid is in the C-terminal position this fragmentation reaction occurs from the [MH]− ion while when the aspartic acid is not in the C-terminal position the fragmentation reaction occurs mainly from the [MHH2O]− ion. The products of this NC bond cleavage reaction serve to identify the position of the aspartic acid residue in the peptide.
International Journal of Mass Spectrometry.
