Sequence and side-chain specific photofragment (193 nm) ions from protonated substance P by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

We have studied the photodissociation of gas-phase deprotonated caerulein anions by vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons in the 4.5 to 20 eV range, as provided by the DESIRS beamline at the synchrotron radiation facility SOLEIL (France). Caerulein is a sulphated peptide with three aromatic residues and nine amide bonds. Electron loss is found to be the major relaxation channel at every photon energy. However, an increase in the fragmentation efficiency (neutral losses and peptide backbone cleavages) as a function of the energy is also observed. The oxidized ions, generated by electron photodetachment were further isolated and activated by collision (CID) in a MS 3 scheme. The branching ratios of the different fragments observed by CID as a function of the initial VUV photon energy are found to be independent of the initial photon energy. Thus, there is no memory effect of the initial excitation energy on the fragmentation channels of the oxidized species on the time scale of our tandem MS experiment. We also report photofragment yields as a function of photon energy for doubly deprotonated caerulein ions, for both closed-shell ([M -2H] 2-) non-radical ions and open-shell ([M -3H] 2-• ) radical ions. These latter ions are generated by electron photodetachment from [M -3H] 3-precursor ions. The detachment yield increases monotonically with the energy with the appearance of several absorption bands. Spectra for radical and non-radical ions are quite similar in terms of observed bands; however, the VUV fragmentation yield is enhanced by the presence of a radical in caerulein peptides.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Formation and Fragmentation of Radical Peptide Anions: Insights from Vacuum Ultra Violet Spectroscopy

Brunet

Antoine

Dugourd

et al. 2011

“…The light pulse can be synchronized to the fragment ion of interest, and photodissociation does not affect the per-formance of the mass analyzer. One hundred ninetythree nm photodissociation has been applied in several different MALDI-TOF instruments [11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Early studies [11][12][13][14][15] generated fragmentation patterns consistent with the previously described FTICR [6 -9] and sector experiments [10].…”

mentioning

confidence: 96%

Factors that impact the vacuum ultraviolet photofragmentation of peptide ions

Thompson

Cui

Reilly

2007

101

Several groups have investigated the photodissociation of peptide ions with ultraviolet light. Significant differences have been reported with 157 and 193 nm excitation. Recent studies have shown that the mass analyzer can also influence the observed photofragment distribution.Comparison of experiments using different peptides, wavelengths, and mass analyzers is undesirably complicated. In the present work, several peptides are analyzed with both 157 and 193 nm photodissociation in tandem-TOF and linear ion trap mass spectrometers. The results indicate that the fragment ion distribution can be influenced by both the photodissociation wavelength and the mass analyzer. The two wavelengths generate similar spectra in an ion trap but quite different results in a tandem

“…Although a variety of excitation methods have been applied to generate peptide fragments, including blackbody radiation [3], IR multiphoton excitation [4], UV laser excitation [5][6][7][8][9], and collisions with gas-phase molecules [1] or surfaces [10], low-energy collisional activation is the most commonly employed technique. These methods have been reviewed recently [11].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathways of Peptide Ion Fragmentation Induced by Vacuum Ultraviolet Light

Cui

Thompson

Reilly

2005

119

181

One Hundred Fifty-Seven nm photodissociation of singly protonated peptides generates unusual distributions of fragment ions. When the charge is localized at the C-terminus of the peptide, spectra are dominated by x-, v-, and w-type fragments. When it is sequestered at the N-terminus, a-and d-type ions are overwhelmingly abundant. Evidence is presented suggesting that the fragmentation occurs via photolytic radical cleavage of the peptide backbone at the bond between the ␣-and carbonyl-carbons followed by radical elimination to form the observed daughter ions. Low-energy fragmentation appears to be well described by the mobile proton model according to which vibrational excitation of the analyte leads to charge mobility [12]. Transfer of the charge proton to either the backbone carbonyl oxygen or amide nitrogen enables charge-induced cleavage of the peptide backbone. This process yields primarily b-and y-type fragment ions according to the standard nomenclature shown below [13,14].Higher energy activation methods involving collisions with gas molecules or surfaces can enable chargeremote fragmentation [15][16][17]. However, even in these cases, apparently, protonated peptides still generate some fragments through charge-directed processes [17]. Immobilization of the charge, either by using metal adducts [18] or charged chemical modifications [19 -22], has been used to inhibit charge-directed fragmentation. In these cases, primarily a-, d-, and w-type fragments are observed. Several mechanisms have been proposed for charge-remote peptide fragmentation, some involving homolytic radical cleavage [14,23].Electron capture dissociation (ECD) [24] and the recently reported electron-transfer dissociation (ETD)[25] appear to be nonthermal processes. These phenomena generate c-and z-type fragment ions upon the addition of an electron to a multiply charged protein or peptide ion. Two mechanisms have been proposed, one involving reactions of a free hydrogen atom generated when an electron is captured by a charged site on the analyte ion [26], and the other involving localization of the ϳ6 eV of energy that is generated upon charge neutralization. This energy then induces fragmentation through an excited electronic state [27]. Implicit in this second mechanism is the suggestion that techniques which excite appropriate electronic states can lead to unique, nonergodic fragmentation even for molecules as large as peptides and proteins [24,27]. This can occur if ions reach a dissociative electronic state and fragment before the energy is redistributed throughout the molecule. Electronic to vibrational relaxation, resulting in nonspecific excitation is an important competing process that often inhibits nonergodic processes, and rates of relaxation are predicted to increase with the size of the molecule [28].Lasers are powerful tools that can also be used to excite molecules to specific energy levels with either multiphoton or single photon processes. Light is not affected by the electric or magnetic fields of mass spectrometers, s...