Negative ion electrospray mass spectra of the maculatin peptides from the tree frogs Litoria genimaculata and Litoria eucnemis

Collision-induced fragmentations of deprotonated maculatin 1 peptides provide significant sequencing information. When the peptide lacks those residues which can fragment through their alpha side chains (e.g. Thr, Ser, Glu and Gln in this study) the basic alpha and beta' backbone cleavages occur from the [Mbond;H](-) anion. When Thr, Ser, Glu and Gln are present, the ease of side-chain fragmentation of these residues is: Thr (loss of MeCHO) > Ser (CH(2)O) > Glu (H(2)O) > Gln (NH(3)). When one of more of these residues is (are) present, the alpha and beta' cleavages often occur from a fragment rather than the [Mbond;H](-) anion, e.g. for Thr, the [(Mbond;H)(-)bond;MeCHO](-) anion. These four residues also initiate gamma backbone cleavage reactions. The relative abundances of peaks resulting from gamma cleavage are Glu > Ser = Thr > Gln for maculatin 1 spectra. An unusual Gln19/Ile17 cyclisation/cleavage reaction occurs in maculatin spectra: the peptide [Mbond;H](-) anion must adopt a helical conformation in order for these two groups to interact. Analogous fragmentations have been reported previously in the negative ion spectra of the caerin 1 peptides.     

Negative ion fragmentations of deprotonated peptides: backbone cleavages directed through both Asp and Glu

The collision-induced spectra of [M - H](-) ions of a variety of natural and synthetic amphibian peptides containing Asp and/or Glu exhibit characteristic gamma backbone cleavage ions that identify the positions of these residues in the peptide. A theoretical study suggests that the Glu cleavage involves an S(N)i reaction of the carboxylate anion from the Glu alpha side chain to form a deprotonated cyclic lactone. The presence of either Asp or Glu or other residues that effect pronounced side-chain cleavages (e.g. Ser or Thr) results in the normal alpha and beta backbone cleavages being reduced in comparison to those cleavages which originate from side chains.     

Comparison of the positive and negative ion electrospray mass spectra of some small peptides containing pyroglutamate

The positive ion electrospray mass spectra of [M+H](+) and the negative ion electrospray mass spectra of [M-H](-) ions of selected pyroglutamate containing peptides both provide sequencing data. The negative ion spectra show the normal alpha and beta backbone cleavages in addition to delta and gamma backbone cleavages initiated by the side chains of Glu and Phe residues. For example, the [M-H](-) ion of pGlu Pro Gln Val Phe Val-NH(2) shows delta and gamma peaks at m/z 224 (delta, Gln3), 244 (gamma, Phe4), 451 (delta, Phe4), 471 (gamma, Gln3). Some of the negative ion spectra show unusual grandaughter peaks that originate by alpha and beta, or delta and gamma backbone cleavages of a beta(1) cleavage ion.     

Negative ion electrospray mass spectra of caerulein peptides: an aid to structural determination

MS/MS data derived from the [M-H](-) ions of desulfated caerulein peptides provide (i) sequencing information from a combination of alpha, beta and gamma backbone cleavages, and (ii) identification of specific amino acid side chains by side-chain cleavages [e.g. Ser (-CH(2)O), Thr (-CH(3)CHO) and Asp (-H(2)O)] (fragmentations having no counterparts in positive ion spectra). In addition, delta and/or gamma backbone cleavage ions from Asp residues identify the position of these residues in the peptide. In contrast, neither delta nor gamma cleavage ions are observed from either the Gln2 residue nor from Phe residues. Full structural information can be obtained from a consideration of the positive and negative ion MS/MS data in concert.     

The effect of fixed charge modifications on electron capture dissociation

Electron capture dissociation (ECD) studies of two modified amyloid beta peptides (20-29 and 25-35) were performed to investigate the role of H* radicals in the ECD of peptide ions and the free-radical cascade (FRC) mechanism. 2,4,6-Trimethylpyridinium (TMP) was used as the fixed charge tag, which is postulated to both trap the originally formed radical upon electron capture and inhibit the H* generation. It was found that both the number and locations of the fixed charge groups influenced the backbone and side-chain cleavages of these peptides in ECD. In general, the frequency and extent of backbone cleavages decreased and those of side-chain cleavages increased with the addition of fixed charge tags. A singly labeled peptide with the tag group farther away from the protonated site experienced a smaller abundance decrease in backbone cleavage fragments than the one with the tag group closer to the protonated site. Despite the nonprotonated nature of all charge carriers in doubly labeled peptide ions, several c and z* ions were still observed in their ECD spectra. Thus, although H* transfer may be important for the NC(alpha) bond cleavage, there also exist other pathways, which would require a radical migration via H* abstraction through space or via an amide superbase mechanism. Finally, internal fragment ions were observed in the ECD of these linear peptides, indicating that the important role of the FRC in backbone cleavages is not limited to the ECD of cyclic peptides.     

Backbone cleavages of [M - H](-) anions of peptides. Cyclisation of citropin 1 peptides involving reactions between the C-terminal [CONH](-) residue and backbone amide carbonyl groups. A new type of beta cleavage: a joint experimental and theoretical study

This paper reports the study of backbone cleavages in the collision-induced negative-ion mass spectra of the [M - H](-) anions of some synthetic modifications of the bioactive amphibian peptide citropin 1 (GLFDVIKKVASVIGGL-NH(2)). The peptides chosen for study contain no amino acid residues which could effect facile side-chain cleavage, i.e. Ser (-CH(2)O, side-chain cleavage) and Asp (-H(2)O) are replaced by Ala or Lys. We expected that such peptides should exhibit standard and pronounced peaks due to alpha cleavage ions (and to a lesser extent beta cleavage ions) in their collision-induced negative-ion spectra. This expectation was realised, but the spectra also contained peaks formed by a new series of cleavage anions. These are produced following cyclisation of the C-terminal CONH(-) moiety at carbonyl functions of amide groups along the peptide backbone; effectively transferring the NH of the C-terminal CONH(-) group to other amino acid residues. We have called the product anions of these processes beta' ions, in order to distinguish them from standard beta ions. Some beta' ions also fragment directly to some other beta' ions of smaller mass. The reaction coordinates of alpha,beta and beta' backbone processes have been calculated at the HF/6-31G*//AM1 level theory for simple model systems. The initial cyclisation step of the beta' sequence is barrierless and exothermic. Subsequent steps have a maximum barrier of +40 kcal mol(-1), with the overall reaction being endothermic by some 30 kcal mol(-1) at the level of theory used. These calculations take no account of the complexity of the conformationally flexible peptide system, and it is surprising that each of the two reacting centres can 'find' each other in such a large system.     

Mobile and localized protons: a framework for understanding peptide dissociation

Protein identification and peptide sequencing by tandem mass spectrometry requires knowledge of how peptides fragment in the gas phase, specifically which bonds are broken and where the charge(s) resides in the products. For many peptides, cleavage at the amide bonds dominate, producing a series of ions that are designated b and y. For other peptides, enhanced cleavage occurs at just one or two amino acid residues. Surface-induced dissociation, along with gas-phase collision-induced dissociation performed under a variety of conditions, has been used to refine the general 'mobile proton' model and to determine how and why enhanced cleavages occur at aspartic acid residues and protonated histidine residues. Enhanced cleavage at acidic residues occurs when the charge is unavailable to the peptide backbone or the acidic side-chain. The acidic H of the side-chain then serves to initiate cleavage at the amide bond immediately C-terminal to Asp (or Glu), producing an anhydride. In contrast, enhanced cleavage occurs at His when the His side-chain is protonated, turning His into a weak acid that can initiate backbone cleavage by transferring a proton to the backbone. This allows the nucleophilic nitrogen of the His side-chain to attack and form a cyclic structure that is different from the 'typical' backbone cleavage structures.     

C alpha-C backbone fragmentation dominates in electron detachment dissociation of gas-phase polypeptide polyanions

Fragmentation of peptide polyanions by electron detachment dissociation (EDD) has been induced by electron irradiation of deprotonated polypeptides [M-nH](n-) with >10 eV electrons. EDD has been found to lead preferentially to a* and x fragment ions (C(alpha)-C backbone cleavage) arising from the dissociation of oxidized radical anions [M-nH]((n-1)-*. We demonstrate that C(alpha)-C cleavages, which are otherwise rarely observed in tandem mass spectrometry, can account for most of the backbone fragmentation, with even-electron x fragments dominating over radical a* ions. Ab initio calculations at the B3 LYP level of theory with the 6-311+G(2 p,2 d)//6-31+G(d,p) basis set suggested a unidirectional mechanism for EDD (cleavage always N-terminal to the radical site), with a*, x formation being favored over a, x* fragmentation by 74.2 kJ mol(-1). Thus, backbone C(alpha)-C bonds N-terminal to proline residues should be immune to EDD, in agreement with the observations. EDD may find application in mass spectrometry for such tasks as peptide sequencing and localization of labile post-translational modifications, for example, those introduced by sulfation and phosphorylation. EDD can now be performed not only in Fourier transform mass spectrometry, but also in far more widely used quadrupole (Paul) ion traps.     

Computational study on nonenzymatic peptide bond cleavage at asparagine and aspartic acid

Nonenzymatic peptide bond cleavage at asparagine (Asn) and glutamine (Gln) residues has been observed during peptide deamidation experiments; cleavage has also been reported at aspartic acid (Asp) and glutamic acid (Glu) residues. Although peptide backbone cleavage at Asn is known to be slower than deamidation, fragmentation products are often observed during peptide deamidation experiments. In this study, mechanisms leading to the cleavage of the carboxyl-side peptide bond of Asn and Asp residues were investigated using computational methods (B3LYP/6-31+G**). Single-point solvent calculations at the B3LYP/6-31++G** level were carried out in water, utilizing the integral equation formalism-polarizable continuum (IEF-PCM) model. Mechanism and energetics of peptide fragmentation at Asn were comparatively analyzed with previous calculations on deamidation of Asn. When deamidation proceeds through direct hydrolysis of the Asn side chain or through cyclic imide formationvia a tautomerization routeit exhibits lower activation barriers than peptide bond cleavage at Asn. The fundamental distinction between the mechanisms leading to deamidationvia a succinimideand backbone cleavage was found to be the difference in nucleophilic entities involved in the cyclization process (backbone versus side-chain amide nitrogen). If deamidation is prevented by protein three-dimensional structure, cleavage may become a competing pathway. Fragmentation of the peptide backbone at Asp was also computationally studied to understand the likelihood of Asn deamidation preceding backbone cleavage. The activation barrier for backbone cleavage at Asp residues is much lower (approximately 10 kcal/mol) than that at Asn. This suggests that peptide bond cleavage at Asn residues is more likely to take place after it has deamidated into Asp.     

The effect of radical trap moieties on electron capture dissociation spectra of substance P

To further test the hypothesis that electron capture dissociation (ECD) involves long-lived radical intermediates and radical migration occurs within these intermediates before fragmentation, radical trap moieties were attached to peptides with the assumption that they would reduce fragmentation by decreasing the mobility of the radical. Coumarin labels were chosen for the radical traps, and unlabeled, singly-labeled, and doubly-labeled Substance P were analyzed by ECD. The results demonstrated a correlation between the number and position of tags on the peptide and the intensity of side-chain cleavages observed, as well as an inverse correlation between the number of tags on the peptide and the intensity of backbone cleavages. Addition of radical traps to the peptide inhibits backbone cleavages, suggesting that either radical mobility is required for these cleavages, or new noncovalent interactions prevent separation of backbone cleavage fragments. The enhancement of side-chain cleavages and the observation of new side-chain cleavages associated with aromatic groups suggest that the gas-phase conformation of this peptide is substantially distorted from untagged Substance P and involves previously unobserved interactions between the coumarin tags and the phenylalanine residues. Furthermore, the use of a double resonance (DR)-ECD experiment showed that these side-chain losses are all products of long-lived radical intermediate species, which suggests that steric hindrance prevents the coumarin-localized radical from interacting with the backbone while simultaneously increasing the radical rearrangements with the side chains.     

Cascade Dissociations of Peptide Cation-Radicals. Part 1. Scope and Effects of Amino Acid Residues in Penta-, Nona-, and Decapeptides

Amino acid residue-specific backbone and side-chain dissociations of peptide z ions in MS(3) spectra were elucidated for over 40 pentapeptides with arginine C-terminated sequences of the AAXAR and AAHXR type, nonapeptides of the AAHAAXX"AR and AAHAXAX"AR type, and AAHAAXX"AAR decapeptides. Peptide z(n) ions containing amino acid residues with readily transferrable benzylic or tertiary β-hydrogen atoms (Phe, Tyr, His, Trp, Val) underwent facile backbone cleavages to form dominant z(n-2) or z(n-3) ions. These backbone cleavages are thought to be triggered by a side-chain β-hydrogen atom transfer to the z ion C(α) radical site followed by homolytic dissociation of the adjacent C(α)-CO bond, forming x(n-2) cation-radicals that spontaneously dissociate by loss of HNCO. Amino acid residues that do not have readily transferrable β-hydrogen atoms (Gly, Ala) do not undergo the z(n) → z(n-2) dissociations. The backbone cleavages compete with side-chain dissociations in z ions containing Asp and Asn residues. Side-chain dissociations are thought to be triggered by α-hydrogen atom transfers that activate the C(β)-C(γ) or C(β)-heteroatom bonds for dissociations that dominate the MS(3) spectra of z ions from peptides containing Leu, Cys, Lys, Met, Ser, Arg, Glu, and Gln residues. The Lys, Arg, Gln, and Glu residues also participate in γ-hydrogen atom transfers that trigger other side-chain dissociations.     

Negative ion mass spectra of Cys-containing peptides. The characteristic Cys gamma backbone cleavage: a joint experimental and theoretical study

The Cys residue initiates characteristic backbone cleavages of [M-H](-) anions of Cys-containing peptides. A combination of experiment and theory suggests that these processes are initiated by molecular recognition between the C-terminal CONH(-) group (in this study all peptides have C-terminal CONH(2) groups) and the SH in the Cys side chain to form an S-H...O=C hydrogen bond. This process is exothermic by 60 kJ mol(-1) (calculations at the HF/6-31G(d)//AM1 level of theory). The structure of this reactive intermediate has the NH(-) of the amide group and the central CH of the Cys residue locked into position such that these groups effect an S(N)2 process to form an intermediate which can either (i) dissociate to give an RNH(-) species [the delta ion (process endothermic by 37 kJ mol(-1) with a barrier of 132 kJ mol(-1))], or (ii) effect deprotonation within the intermediate to eliminate RNH(2) to give the gamma backbone cleavage anion in a reaction exothermic by 40 kJ mol(-1) with a barrier of 132 kJ mol(-1). Collision-induced mass spectra of the [M-H](-) anions of five selected Cys-containing peptides all contain gamma and (gamma-H(2)S) anions. Three of these spectra also show the less favoured delta cleavage anions.     

Specific UV photodissociation of tyrosyl-containing peptides in multistage mass spectrometry

UV photodissociation (UVPD) at 262 nm has been carried out on protonated tyrosyl-containing peptides formed by trypsin digestion of apo-transferrin. Under UVPD, the main event is the fragmentation of the C(alpha)-C(beta) bond of the tyrosyl residues leading to a radical ion 107 Da below the precursor ion. The dissociation rate of this specific cleavage appears to be strongly dependent on the peptide sequence and is more prominent on the singly protonated species than on the doubly protonated state. The fragmentation spectra resulting from collisional activation of the protonated even-electron native peptides and of the odd-electron radical species prepared by UVPD are dominated by y-type backbone cleavages. A comparison of their respective y-ion pattern shows complementarities since the combination of both increases the sequence coverage of the peptide sequence. The specific detection of the neutral loss of 107 Da from peptides witnesses the content of at least one tyrosyl residue and, though preliminary, is proposed as a potential new filtering strategy during protein database searching.     

Mechanisms and energetics of free radical initiated disulfide bond cleavage in model peptides and insulin by mass spectrometry

We investigate the mechanism of disulfide bond cleavage in gaseous peptide and protein ions initiated by a covalently-attached regiospecific acetyl radical using mass spectrometry (MS). Highly selective S–S bond cleavages with some minor C–S bond cleavages are observed by a single step of collisional activation. We show that even multiple disulfide bonds in intact bovine insulin are fragmented in the MS2 stage, releasing the A- and B-chains with a high yield, which has been challenging to achieve by other ion activation methods. Yet, regardless of the previous reaction mechanism studies, it has remained unclear why (1) disulfide bond cleavage is preferred to peptide backbone fragmentation, and why (2) the S–S bond that requires the higher activation energy conjectured in previously suggested mechanisms is more prone to be cleaved than the C–S bond by hydrogen-deficient radicals. To probe the mechanism of these processes, model peptides possessing deuterated β-carbon(s) at the disulfide bond are employed. It is suggested that the favored pathway of S–S bond cleavage is triggered by direct acetyl radical attack at sulfur with concomitant cleavage of the S–S bond (S_H2). The activation energy for this process is substantially lower by ∼9–10 kcal mol^–1 than those of peptide backbone cleavage processes determined by density functional quantum chemical calculations. Minor reaction pathways are initiated by hydrogen abstraction from the α-carbon or the β-carbon of a disulfide, followed by β-cleavages yielding C–S or S–S bond scissions. The current mechanistic findings should be generally applicable to other radical-driven disulfide bond cleavages with different radical species such as the benzyl and methyl pyridyl radicals.     

Electron Transfer Dissociation (ETD) of Peptides Containing Intrachain Disulfide Bonds

The fragmentation chemistry of peptides containing intrachain disulfide bonds was investigated under electron transfer dissociation (ETD) conditions. Fragments within the cyclic region of the peptide backbone due to intrachain disulfide bond formation were observed, including: c (odd electron), z (even electron), c-33 Da, z + 33 Da, c + 32 Da, and z–32 Da types of ions. The presence of these ions indicated cleavages both at the disulfide bond and the N–Cα backbone from a single electron transfer event. Mechanistic studies supported a mechanism whereby the N–Cα bond was cleaved first, and radical-driven reactions caused cleavage at either an S–S bond or an S–C bond within cysteinyl residues. Direct ETD at the disulfide linkage was also observed, correlating with signature loss of 33 Da (SH) from the charge-reduced peptide ions. Initial ETD cleavage at the disulfide bond was found to be promoted amongst peptides ions of lower charge states, while backbone fragmentation was more abundant for higher charge states. The capability of inducing both backbone and disulfide bond cleavages from ETD could be particularly useful for sequencing peptides containing intact intrachain disulfide bonds. ETD of the 13 peptides studied herein all showed substantial sequence coverage, accounting for 75%–100% of possible backbone fragmentation.     

Aspartic acid side chain effect—Experimental and theoretical insight

Gas-phase H/D exchange and density functional theory study of the Asp and Glu side-chain carboxylic group intrinsic reactivity is reported. H/D exchange site specific treatment and some additional theoretical calculations showed that a side-chain carboxylic group may initiate proton transfer along with bond formation to one of its oxygens, i.e., possibility to initiate selective of cleavage peptide bond ("aspartic acid effect"). That finding is used to select aspartic acid cleavage mechanisms (side-chain proton transfer either to backbone carbonyl or to amide nitrogen) for further computational study. B3LYP/6-31G(d) and G3(MP2)//B3LYP potential energy profiles of both mechanisms on a model system CH3CO-Asp-NHCH3 were constructed. Although energy employed in low-energy collision induced dissociation suffices for both mechanisms thresholds, energy transferred to specific modes suggests a complex one-step mechanism of proton transfer (from the side-chain carboxylic group to the backbone amide group), bond formation (between deprotonated carboxylic group and carbon atom of the backbone carbonyl), and peptide bond cleavage as favorable.     

Further studies on the fragmentation of protonated ions of peptides containing aspartic acid, glutamic acid, cysteine sulfinic acid, and cysteine sulfonic acid

Here we examined the fragmentation, on a quadrupole ion-trap mass spectrometer, of the protonated ions of a group of peptides containing one arginine and two different acidic amino acids, one being aspartic acid (Asp) or glutamic acid (Glu) and the other being cysteine sulfinic acid [C(SO2H)] or cysteine sulfonic acid [C(SO3H)]. Our results showed that, upon collisional activation, the cleavage of the peptide bond C-terminal to C(SO2H) is much more facile than that of the peptide bond C-terminal to Asp, Glu, or C(SO3H). There is no significant difference, however, in susceptibility to cleavage of peptide bonds that are C-terminal to Asp, Glu, and C(SO3H). To understand these experimental observations, we carried out B3LYP/6-31G* density functional theory calculations for a model cleavage reaction of GXG --> b2 + Gly, in which X is Asp, Glu, C(SO2H), or C(SO3H). Our calculation results showed that the cleavage reaction is thermodynamically more favorable when X = C(SO2H) than when X = Asp or C(SO3H). We attributed the less facile cleavage of the amide bond after Glu to that the formation of a six-membered ring b ion for Glu-bearing peptides is kinetically not as favorable as the formation of a five-membered ring b ion for peptides containing the other three acidic amino acids. The results from this study may provide useful tools for peptide sequencing.     

Metastable Atom-Activated Dissociation Mass Spectrometry of Phosphorylated and Sulfonated Peptides in Negative Ion Mode

The dissociation behavior of phosphorylated and sulfonated peptide anions was explored using metastable atom-activated dissociation mass spectrometry (MAD-MS) and collision-induced dissociation (CID). A beam of high kinetic energy helium (He) metastable atoms was exposed to isolated phosphorylated and sulfonated peptides in the 3– and 2– charge states. Unlike CID, where phosphate losses are dominant, the major dissociation channels observed using MAD were C_α – C peptide backbone cleavages and neutral losses of CO₂, H₂O, and [CO₂ + H₂O] from the charge reduced (oxidized) product ion, consistent with an electron detachment dissociation (EDD) mechanism such as Penning ionization. Regardless of charge state or modification, MAD provides ample backbone cleavages with little modification loss, which allows for unambiguous PTM site determination. The relative abundance of certain fragment ions in MAD is also demonstrated to be somewhat sensitive to the number and location of deprotonation sites, with backbone cleavage somewhat favored adjacent to deprotonated sites like aspartic acid residues. MAD provides a complementary dissociation technique to CID, ECD, ETD, and EDD for peptide sequencing and modification identification. MAD offers the unique ability to analyze highly acidic peptides that contain few to no basic amino acids in either negative or positive ion mode.     

Characterization of amino acid side chain losses in electron capture dissociation

We have used electrospray ionization (ESI) Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry to characterize amino acid side chain losses observed during electron capture dissociation (ECD) of ten 7- to 14-mer peptides. Side-chain cleavages were observed for arginine, histidine, asparagine or glutamine, methionine, and lysine residues. All peptides containing an arginine, histidine, asparagine or glutamine showed the losses associated with that residue. Methionine side-chain loss was observed for doubly-protonated bombesin. Lysine side-chain loss was observed for triply-protonated dynorphin A fragment 1-13 but not for the doubly-protonated ion. The proximity of arginine to a methoxy C-terminal group significantly enhances the extent of side-chain fragmentation. Fragment ions associated with side-chain losses were comparable in abundance to those resulting from backbone cleavage in all cases. In the ECD spectrum of one peptide, the major product was due to fragmentation within an arginine side chain. Our results suggest that cleavages within side chains should be taken into account in analysis of ECD mass spectral data. Losses from arginine, histidine, and asparigine/glutamine can be used to ascertain their presence, as in the analysis of unknown peptides, particularly those with non-linear structures.     

Collision Induced Dissociation Products of Disulfide-Bonded Peptides: Ions Result from the Cleavage of More Than One Bond

Disulfide bonds are a post-translational modification (PTM) that can be scrambled or shuffled to non-native bonds during recombinant expression, sample handling, or sample purification. Currently, mapping of disulfide bonds is not easy because of various sample requirements and data analysis difficulties. One step towards facilitating this difficult work is developing a better understanding of how disulfide-bonded peptides fragment during collision induced dissociation (CID). Most automated analysis algorithms function based on the assumption that the preponderance of product ions observed during the dissociation of disulfide-bonded peptides result from the cleavage of just one peptide bond, and in this report we tested that assumption by extensively analyzing the product ions generated when several disulfide-bonded peptides are subjected to CID on a quadrupole time of flight (QTOF) instrument. We found that one of the most common types of product ions generated resulted from two peptide bond cleavages, or a double cleavage. We found that for several of the disulfide-bonded peptides analyzed, the number of double cleavage product ions outnumbered those of single cleavages. The influence of charge state and precursor ion size was investigated, to determine if those parameters dictated the amount of double cleavage product ions formed. It was found in this sample set that no strong correlation existed between the charge state or peptide size and the portion of product ions assigned as double cleavages. These data show that these ions could account for many of the product ions detected in CID data of disulfide bonded peptides. We also showed the utility of double cleavage product ions on a peptide with multiple cysteines present. Double cleavage products were able to fully characterize the bonding pattern of each cysteine where typical single b/y cleavage products could not.