Fragmentation studies on lasalocid acid by accurate mass electrospray mass spectrometry

Lasalocid acid is an important polyether ionophore veterinary drug. Polyether ionophores have been the subject of MS study for many years, but this is the first rigorous study of the complex fragmentation processes occurring in ESI MS/MS for lasalocid, underpinned by high-resolution accurate-mass measurement. Initial low-resolution analyses were performed on an ion-trap instrument. High-resolution analyses were performed on a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. The MS/MS analysis of the pseudo-molecular ion shows that fragment ions are produced either by beta-elimination or by neutral losses of water. Additional ions were observed in the source dissociation analysis, indicating that additional fragmentation reactions occur in the source region. Some of these ions can then undergo additional ion-ion or ion-molecule reactions before being extracted from the source. The study of both the protonated and sodiated sodium salts shows the same fragmentation pathways, with fragment ions containing two sodiums at low intensity. A fragmentation pathway of the lasalocid acid protonated sodium salt [(M-H+Na)+H]+ (m/z 613) and sodiated sodium salt [(M-H+Na)+Na]+ (m/z 635) is presented. The increased understanding afforded by this study will help in the development of unequivocal analytical methods for lasalocid and related polyether ionophore veterinary drugs.     

MS3 using the collision cell of a tandem mass spectrometer system

We report the feasibility of multistage fragmentation in combination with a fast background subtraction method, yielding the equivalent of MS3. The first quadrupole selects an ion of interest, and the ion is axially accelerated into Q2 to generate fragment ions. Subsequent stages of mass selection and fragmentation are obtained by quadrupolar resonant excitation within the Q2 collision cell. The fragments are analyzed downstream by either a resolving quadrupole or a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer, and multistage spectra are obtained by subtraction (MS(n) - MS(n-1)) for n = 3 or 4. We discuss the characterization of this method, including product ion arrival times, fragmentation efficiencies, and ion selectivity. We report accurate TOF mass spectra of background-subtracted MS3 for protonated molecules reserpine (m/z 609), bosentan (m/z 1552), and taxol (m/z 854).     

Fragmentation studies on monensin A by sequential electrospray mass spectrometry

Monensin A was studied by electrospray ionisation sequential mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn) and all fragments were confirmed by accurate-mass measurements. Analyses were performed on both a quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-tof) and a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. MSn analysis shows that depending on sample preparation the ion at m/z 671 consists of two different ions with the same accurate-mass. It is either the monensin protonated parent ion or a different ion structure derived from the loss of water from the water adduct of monensin. Both ions show different fragmentation patterns. Major fragment ions from the protonated parent ion were produced by Grob-Wharton type fragmentations in addition to various simple neutral losses. The fragmentation pathways of the two different m/z 671 ions are proposed.     

Characterization of erythromycin analogs by collisional activated dissociation and infrared multiphoton dissociation in a quadrupole ion trap

The effectiveness of two activation techniques, collision activated dissociation (CAD) and infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD), is compared for structural characterization of protonated and lithium-cationized macrolides and a series of synthetic precursors in a quadrupole ion trap (QIT). Generally, cleavage of the glycosidic linkages attaching the sugars to the macrolide ring and water losses constitute the major fragmentation pathways for most of the protonated compounds. In the IRMPD spectra, a diagnostic fragment ion assigned as the desosamine ion is a dominant ion that is not observed in the CAD spectra because of the higher m/z limit of the storage range required during collisional activation. Activation of the lithium-cationized species results in new diagnostic fragmentation pathways that are particularly useful for confirming the identities of the protecting groups in the synthetic precursors. Multi-step IRMPD allows mapping of the fragmentation genealogies in greater detail and supports the proposed structures of the fragment ions.     

Photodissociation at 193 nm of some singly protonated peptides and proteins with m/z 2000-9000 using a tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer equipped with a second source for delayed extraction/post-acceleration of product ions

A tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer was built for photodissociation (PD) of singly protonated peptides and small proteins generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization. PD was performed in a second source after deceleration of precursor ions. The delayed extraction/post-acceleration scheme was used for the product ions. For the PD at 193 nm of small singly protonated peptides, the present instrument showed much better sensitivity and resolution for product ions than the previous one (Moon JH, Yoon SH, Kim MS, Bull. Korean Chem. Soc. 2005; 26: 763) even though the overall spectral patterns obtained with the two instruments were similar. The present instrument was inferior in precursor ion selection and background noise level. PD was achieved for precursor ions as large as the singly protonated ubiquitin (m/z 8560.63), indicating that the photoexcitation is capable of supplying a sufficient amount of internal energy to dissociate large singly protonated proteins. As the precursor ion m/z increased, however, product ion signals deteriorated rather rapidly. As in the PD of small peptide ions with m/z around 1000, the types of the product ions generated from singly protonated peptides with m/z in the range 2000-4000 were mostly determined by the positions of arginine residues. Namely, a(n) and d(n) ions dominated when an arginine residue(s) was near the N-terminus while v(n), w(n), x(n) and y(n) dominated when the same residue(s) was near the C-terminus. In addition, d(n), v(n) and w(n) ions were generated according to the correlation rules previously observed in the collisionally activated dissociation. Isoleucine and leucine isomers could be easily distinguished based on the w(n) and d(n) ions.     

Fragmentation reactions of protonated peptides containing glutamine or glutamic acid

A variety of protonated dipeptides and tripeptides containing glutamic acid or glutamine were prepared by electrospray ionization or by fast atom bombardment ionization and their fragmentation pathways elucidated using metastable ion studies, energy-resolved mass spectrometry and triple-stage mass spectrometry (MS(3)) experiments. Additional mechanistic information was obtained by exchanging the labile hydrogens for deuterium. Protonated H-Gln-Gly-OH fragments by loss of NH(3) and loss of H(2)O in metastable ion fragmentation; under collision-induced dissociation (CID) conditions loss of H-Gly-OH + CO from the [MH - NH(3)](+) ion forms the base peak C(4)H(6)NO(+) (m/z 84). Protonated dipeptides with an alpha-linkage, H-Glu-Xxx-OH, are characterized by elimination of H(2)O and by elimination of H-Xxx-OH plus CO to form the glutamic acid immonium ion of m/z 102. By contrast, protonated dipeptides with a gamma-linkage, H-Glu(Xxx-OH)-OH, do not show elimination of H(2)O or formation of m/z 102 but rather show elimination of NH(3), particularly in metastable ion fragmentation, and elimination of H-Xxx-OH to form m/z 130. Both the alpha- and gamma-dipeptides show formation of [H-Xxx-OH]H(+), with this reaction channel increasing in importance as the proton affinity (PA) of H-Xxx-OH increases. The characteristic loss of H(2)O and formation of m/z 102 are observed for the protonated alpha-tripeptide H-Glu-Gly-Phe-OH whereas the protonated gamma-tripeptide H-Glu(Gly-Gly-OH)-OH shows loss of NH(3) and formation of m/z 130 as observed for dipeptides with the gamma-linkage. Both tripeptides show abundant formation of the y(2)' ion under CID conditions, presumably because a stable anhydride neutral structure can be formed. Under metastable ion conditions protonated dipeptides of structure H-Xxx-Glu-OH show abundant elimination of H(2)O whereas those of structure H-Xxx-Gln-OH show abundant elimination of NH(3). The importance of these reaction channels is much reduced under CID conditions, the major fragmentation mode being cleavage of the amide bond to form either the a(1) ion or the y(1)' ion. Particularly when Xxx = Gly, under CID conditions the initial loss of NH(3) from the glutamine containing dipeptide is followed by elimination of a second NH(3) while the initial loss of H(2)O from the glutamic acid dipeptide is followed by elimination of NH(3). Isotopic labelling shows that predominantly labile hydrogens are lost in both steps. Although both [H-Gly-Glu-Gly-OH]H(+) and [H-Gly-Gln-Gly-OH]H(+) fragment mainly to form b(2) and a(2) ions, the latter also shows elimination of NH(3) plus a glycine residue and formation of protonated glycinamide. Isotopic labelling shows extensive mixing of labile and carbon-bonded hydrogens in the formation of protonated glycinamide.     

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry of model peptides reveals diagnostic fragment ions for protein ubiquitination

In this work, synthetic peptides were used to determine the fragmentation behavior of ubiquitinated peptides and to find ions diagnostic for peptide ubiquitination. The ubiquitin-calmodulin peptide1 was chosen as the model peptide for naturally occurring ubiquitinated proteins cleaved with endoproteinase gluC. In addition, the fragmentation behavior of model ubiquitinated peptides produced by tryptic digestion was also of great interest since the standard protocols for proteomics-based protein identification use trypsin as the protease. Attachment of ubiquitin to a target protein results in a branched structure, but only ions from the ubiquitin side chain (and the lysine to which it is attached) can be used as diagnostic ions, since fragment ions that contain other amino acids from the parent protein will vary in mass. Characteristic b-type fragment ions from the gluC cleavage of the ubiquitin side chain (designated as b ions) were found which involve only the ubiquitin tail (b2, b3, b4, b5 and b6 ions at m/z 189.06, 302.12, 439.18, 552.30 and 651.30, respectively). Maximum production of these ions occurred at a collision energy of 45 eV in a Q-TOF instrument. Although a non-ubiquitinated peptide may produce isobaric fragment ions, it is unlikely that it can produce these ions in combination. With liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) experiments, ubiquitinated peptides can readily be determined by surveying the reconstructed or extracted ion chromatograms of the diagnostic fragment ions for common peaks. Characteristic ions resulting from tryptic cleavage of the side chain were found in cleavage products with a missed cleavage, resulting in a LRGG- tag instead of a GG- tag. For the LRGG-tagged peptide, diagnostic MS/MS fragment ions (at m/z 270.17 and 384.21) from the ubiquitin tail (b2 and b4, respectively) were found, along with an internal fragment ion (LRGGK-28) at m/z 484.30. These ions should prove useful in precursor-ion scanning experiments for identifying peptides modified by attachment of ubiquitin, and for locating the site of ubiquitin attachment.     

Study of protein modification by 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and other short chain aldehydes analyzed by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A convenient way to study lipid oxidation products-modified proteins by means of suitable model systems has been investigated. As a model peptide, the oxidized B chain of insulin has been chemically modified by either 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) or hexanal and the extent, sites, and structure of modifications were assessed by electrospray mass spectrometry. A reduction step, using either NaCNBH(3) or NaBH(4), was also studied to stabilize the alkylated compounds. From the data gathered, it appeared that NaCNBH(3), when added at the beginning of incubation, dramatically influenced the HNE-induced modifications in terms of the addition mechanism (Schiff base formation instead of Michael addition) but also of the amino acid residues modified (N-terminal amino acid instead of histidine residues). However, by reducing the HNE-adducted species at the end of the reaction with NaBH(4), the fragment ions obtained in the product ion scan experiments become more stable and thus, easier to interpret in terms of origin and mechanism involved. With regard to hexanal induced modifications, we have observed that hexanal addition under reductive conditions led to an extensive modification of the peptide backbone. Moreover, as confirmed by "in-source" collision followed by collision induced dissociation (CID) experiments on selected precursor ions (pseudo-MS(3) experiments), N,N-di-alkylations were first observed on the N-terminal residue and further on Lys(29) residue. On the other hand, compared to the native peptide, no significant changes in MS/MS fragmentation patterns (b and y ions series) were observed whatever the basic site modified by the aldehyde-addition.     

2—羟基—4—邻苯二甲酰亚胺基丁酸的氢迁移反应

在甲烷为反应气的化学电离质谱条件下，质子化的２－羟基－４－邻苯二甲酰亚胺基丁酸的单分子质谱碎裂产生了ｍ／ｚ１４８的碎片离子，表明其碎裂过程发生了氢迁移反应，ＡＭ在分子轨道的理论计算结果为可能的质子化位置提供了理论依据；建立在氘代同位素标记和碰撞诱导解离实验的基础上，我们提出此离子的形成可能同时存在单氢迁移和双氢迁移，一些质谱图中的物征碎片中离子为可能的ＭｃＬａｆｆｅｒｔｙ重排和离子／中性（碎片）复     

Characterization of moenomycin antibiotics from medicated chicken feed by ion-trap mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization

The antimicrobial moenomycin, commonly used as a growth promoter in livestock, was isolated from medicated chicken feed. The purified extract was subjected to reversed-phase liquid chromatographic separation followed by structural characterization using ion-trap mass spectrometry (ITMS), which allowed identification of five moenomycins (A, A12, C1, C3, and C4) as the major components. The fragmentation patterns of the protonated and deprotonated moenomycin molecules, as well as of a series of sodium adducts, were investigated using ITMS after electrospray ionization. While the protonated molecules [M+H]+ proved highly unstable and underwent extensive in-source fragmentation, isolation and activation of the [M--H]- ions (m/z 1580 for moenomycin-A) yielded simple mass spectra with a dominant base peak corresponding to the loss of the carboxy-glycol and the C25-hydrocarbon chain (m/z 1152 for moenomycin-A). Further study of this fragment ion in an MS3 experiment gave rise to a peculiar product ion (m/z 902 for moenomycin-A) that was attributed to the expulsion of a carbohydrate moiety representing a central building block of the linear molecule. In positive ion mode the generation of the mono-sodiated adduct ions, [M+Na]+, was promoted by amending the mobile phase with 100 microM sodium acetate, but this also resulted in higher adducts of the type [M+2Na--H]+ and [M+3Na--2H]+ arising from the formation of the sodium salts of the phosphate acid diester and subsequently of the carboxylic acid. Substantial differences among the fragment-rich product ion profiles of the three species were observed, and could in part be traced back to the mode of complexation of the additional sodium cation(s).     

Tandem mass spectrometric investigation of acylpolyamines of spider venoms and their <Superscript>15</Superscript>N-labeled derivatives

The fragmentation mechanism of the acylpentamine toxins 1-4 found in the venom of the spider Agelenopsis aperta has been investigated in detail. To identify the origin of the two doublets of unexpected fragment ions at m/z 129/112 and m/z 115/98, three synthetic 15N-labeled analogs 5-7 have been prepared and subjected to CID fragmentation on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. It appears that the unexpected doublet of fragment ions arises from an internal portion of the polyamine backbone after either a transaminative Zip reaction or a sequential fragmentation of the quasi-molecular ion. The second option has been proven by in-source CID experiments. The detailed knowledge of acylpentamine fragmentation mechanisms is essential for the correct characterization of isomeric compounds, particularly for coeluting compounds within complex mixtures such as spider venoms.     

Substituent effects on the gas-phase fragmentation reactions of sulfonium ion containing peptides

The multistage mass spectrometric (MS/MS and MS3) gas-phase fragmentation reactions of methionine side-chain sulfonium ion containing peptides formed by reaction with a series of para-substituted phenacyl bromide (XBr where X=CH2COC6H4R, and R=--COOH, --COOCH3, --H, --CH3 and --CH2CH3) alkylating reagents have been examined in a linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. MS/MS of the singly (M+) and multiply ([M++nH](n+1)+) charged precursor ions results in exclusive dissociation at the fixed charge containing side chain, independently of the amino acid composition and precursor ion charge state (i.e., proton mobility). However, loss of the methylphenacyl sulfide side-chain fragment as a neutral versus charged (protonated) species was observed to be highly dependent on the proton mobility of the precursor ion, and the identity of the phenacyl group para-substituent. Molecular orbital calculations were performed at the B3LYP/6-31+G** level of theory to calculate the theoretical proton affinities of the neutral side-chain fragments. The log of the ratio of neutral versus protonated side-chain fragment losses from the derivatized side chain were found to exhibit a linear dependence on the proton affinity of the side-chain fragmentation product, as well as the proton affinities of the peptide product ions. Finally, MS3 dissociation of the nominally identical neutral and protonated loss product ions formed by MS/MS of the [M++H]2+ and [M++2H]3+ precursor ions, respectively, from the peptide GAILM(X)GAILK revealed significant differences in the abundances of the resultant product ions. These results suggest that the protonated peptide product ions formed by gas-phase fragmentation of sulfonium ion containing precursors in an ion trap mass spectrometer do not necessarily undergo intramolecular proton 'scrambling' prior to their further dissociation, in contrast to that previously demonstrated for peptide ions introduced by external ionization sources.     

A mechanistic study of the electron capture dissociation of oligonucleotides

Electron capture dissociation (ECD) of a series of custom-synthesized oligonucleotide pentamers was performed in a Fourier-transform mass spectrometer with a conventional filament-type electron gun. Dissociation of oligonucleotide ions by electron capture generates primarily w/d-type and z/a-type ions with and without the loss of a nucleobase fragment ions. Minor yields of radical [z/a + H]. fragment ions were also observed in many cases. It is interesting to note that some nucleoside-like fragment ions and protonated nucleobase ions (except thymine-related nucleobases and nucleoside-like fragments) were observed in most ECD spectra. The formation of these low-mass fragment ions was tentatively attributed to the secondary fragmentation of the radical [z + H]. fragment ions. From the ECD tandem mass spectra of a series of C/T based binary oligonucleotide ions, including d(CTCTC), d(CTTTC), d(TCCCT), d(CCCCT), and d(TCCCC), it was clearly demonstrated that the formation of many sequence ions was sensitive to the position of cytosine (or the position of charge carrier). The findings of this work support a notion that the ECD of protonated oligonucleotide molecules is charge-directed with the electron being captured by the protonated nucleobase.     

Structural determination of the novel fragmentation routes of zwitteronic morphine opiate antagonists naloxonazine and naloxone hydrochlorides using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight (ESI-QqToF) mass spectra of the zwitteronic salts naloxonazine dihydrochloride 1 and naloxone hydrochloride 2, a common series of morphine opiate receptor antagonists, were recorded using different declustering potentials. The singly charged ion [M+H-2HCl](+) at m/z 651.3170 and the doubly charged ion [M+2H-2HCl](2+) at m/z 326.1700 were noted for naloxonazine dihydrochloride 1; and the singly charged ion [M+H-HCl](+) at m/z 328.1541 was observed for naloxone hydrochloride 2. Low-energy collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (CID-MS/MS) experiments established the fragmentation routes of these compounds. In addition to the characteristic diagnostic product ions obtained, we noticed the formation of a series of radical product ions for the zwitteronic compounds 1 and 2, and also the formation of a distonic ion product formed from the singly charged ion [M+H-HCl](+) of naloxone hydrochloride 2. Confirmation of the various established fragmentation routes was effected by conducting a series of ESI-CID-QqTof-MS/MS product ion scans, which were initiated by CID in the atmospheric pressure/vacuum interface using a higher declustering potential. Deuterium labeling was also performed on the zwitteronic salts 1 and 2, in which the hydrogen atoms of the OH and NH groups were exchanged with deuterium atoms. Low-energy CID-QqTof-MS/MS product ion scans of the singly charged and doubly charged deuteriated molecules confirmed the initial fragmentation patterns proposed for the protonated molecules. Precursor ion scan analyses were also performed with a conventional quadrupole-hexapole-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer and allowed the confirmation of the genesis of some diagnostic ions.     

Electron capture dissociation mass spectrometry of peptide cations containing a lysine homologue: a mobile proton model for explaining the observation of b-type product ions

Eleven doubly protonated peptides with a residue homologous to lysine were investigated by electron capture dissociation mass spectrometry (ECD-MS). Lysine homologues provide the unique opportunity to examine the ECD fragmentation behavior by allowing us to vary the length of the lysine side chain, with minimal structural change. The lysine homologue has a primary amine side chain with a length that successively decreases by one methylene (CH(2)) unit from the --CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NH(2) of lysine and the accompanying decrease of its proton affinities: lysine (K), 1006.5(+/-7.2) kJ/mol; ornithine (K(*)), 1001.1(+/-6.6) kJ/mol; 2,4-diaminobutanoic acid (K(**)), 975.8(+/-7.4) kJ/mol; 2,3-diaminopropanoic acid (K(***)), 950.2(+/-7.2) kJ/mol. In general, the lysine-homologous peptides exhibited overall ECD fragmentation patterns similar to that of the lysine-containing peptides in terms of the locations, abundances, and ion types of products, such as yielding c(+) and z(+.) ions as the dominant product ions. However, a close inspection of product ion mass spectra showed that ECD-MS for the alanine-rich peptides with an ornithinyl or 2,4-diaminobutanoyl residue gave rise to b ions, while the lysinyl-residue-containing peptides did not, in most cases, produce any b ions. The peptide selectivity in the generation of b(+) ions could be understood from within the framework of the mobile proton model in ECD-MS, previously proposed by Cooper (Ref. 29). The exact mass analysis of the resultant b ions reveals that these b ions are not radical species but rather the cationic species with R-CO(+) structure (or protonated oxozalone ion), that is, b(+) ions. The absence of [M+2H](+.) species in the ECD mass spectra and the selective b(+)-ion formation are evidence that the peptides underwent H-atom loss upon electron capture, and then the resulting reduced species dissociated following typical MS/MS fragmentation pathways. This explanation was further supported by extensive b(+) ions generated in the ECD of alanine-based peptides with extended conformations.     

Electron capture dissociation of singly and multiply phosphorylated peptides

Analysis of phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine containing peptides by nano-electrospray Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry established electron capture dissociation (ECD) as a viable method for phosphopeptide sequencing. In general, ECD spectra of synthetic and native phosphopeptides appeared less complex than conventional collision activated dissociation (CAD) mass spectra of these species. ECD of multiply protonated phosphopeptide ions generated mainly c- and z(.)-type peptide fragment ion series. No loss of water, phosphate groups or phosphoric acid from intact phosphopeptide ions nor from the c and z(.) fragment ion products was observed in the ECD spectra. ECD enabled complete or near-complete amino acid sequencing of phosphopeptides for the assignment of up to four phosphorylation sites in peptides in the mass range 1400 to 3500 Da. Nano-scale Fe(III)-affinity chromatography combined with nano-electrospray FTMS/ECD facilitated phosphopeptide analysis and amino acid sequencing from crude proteolytic peptide mixtures.     

Fragmentation study of protonated chalcones by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and tandem mass spectrometry

Fragmentation mechanisms of protonated chalcone and its derivatives with different functional groups were investigated by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The major fragmentation pathways were loss of the phenyl group from the A or B ring, combined with loss of CO. Losses of H(2)O and CO from the precursor ions of [M+H](+) are proposed to occur via rearrangements. Elimination of water from protonated chalcones was observed in all the title compounds to yield a stable ion but it was difficult to obtain skeletal fragmentation of a precursor ion. Loss of CO was found in the MS/MS spectra of all the compounds except the nitro-substituted chalcones. When the [M+H--CO](+) ion was fragmented in the MS/MS experiments, there were distinctive losses of 15 and 28 Da, as the methyl radical and ethylene, respectively. The ion at m/z 130, found only in the nitro-substituted chalcones, was assigned as C(9)H(6)O by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR)-MS/MS; m/z 130 is a common fragment ion in the electron ionization (EI) spectra of chalcones. In order to more easily distinguish the constitutional isomers of these chalcones, breakdown curves were produced and these provided strong support in this study.     

In-source CID of guanosine: Gas phase ion-molecule reactions

In-source collision induced dissociation was applied to access second generation ions of protonated guanosine. The in-source gas-phase behavior of [BH2]+-NH3 (m/z 135, C5H3N4O+) was investigated. Adduct formation and reactions with available solvent molecules (H2O and CH3OH) were demonstrated. Several addition/elimination sequences were observed for this particular ion and solvent molecules. Dissociation pathways for the newly formed ions were developed using a QqTOF mass spectrometer, permitting the assignment of elemental compositions of all product ions produced. Reaction schemes were suggested arising from the ring-opened intermediate of the protonated base moiety [BH2]+, obtained from fragmentation of guanosine. The mass spectral data revealed that the in-source CH3OH-reaction product underwent more complex fragmentations than the comparable ion following reaction with H2O. A rearrangement and a parallel radical dissociation pathway were discerned. Apart from the mass spectrometric evidence, the fragmentation schemes are supported by density functional theory calculations, in which the reaction of the ring-opened protonated guanine intermediate with CH3OH and a number of subsequent fragmentations were elaborated. Additionally, an in-source transition from the ring-opened intermediate of protonated guanine to the ring-opened intermediate of protonated xanthine was suggested. For comparison, a low-energy collision induced dissociation study of xanthosine was performed. Its dissociation pathways agreed with our assumption.     

Unimolecular dissociation of protonated trans-1,4-diphenyl-2-butene-1,4-dione in the gas phase: rearrangement versus simple cleavage

Fragmentation mechanisms of trans-1,4-diphenyl-2-butene-1,4-dione were studied using a variety of mass spectrometric techniques. The major fragmentation pathways occur by various rearrangements by loss of H(2)O, CO, H(2)O and CO, and CO(2). The other fragmentation pathways via simple alpha cleavages were also observed but accounted for the minor dissociation channels in both a two-dimensional (2-D) linear ion trap and a quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometer. The elimination of CO(2) (rather than CH(3)CHO or C(3)H(8)), which was confirmed by an exact mass measurement using the Q-TOF instrument, represented a major fragmentation pathway in the 2-D linear ion trap mass spectrometer. However, the elimination of H(2)O and CO becomes more competitive in the beam-type Q-TOF instrument. The loss of CO is observed in both the MS(2) experiment of m/z 237 and the MS(3) experiment of m/z 219 but via the different transition states. The data suggest that the olefinic double bond in protonated trans-1,4-diphenyl-2-butene-1,4-dione plays a key role in stabilizing the rearrangement transition states and increasing the bond dissociation (cleavage) energy to give favorable rearrangement fragmentation pathways.     

Side-chain radical losses from radical cations allows distinction of leucine and isoleucine residues in the isomeric peptides Gly-XXX-Arg

Sequencing of peptides via low-energy collision-induced dissociation of protonated peptides typically yields b(n) and y(n) sequence ions. The isomeric residues leucine and isoleucine rarely can be distinguished in these experiments since they give b(n) and y(n) sequence ions of the same m/z. Siu's pioneering work on electrospray ionization of copper complexes of peptides (Chu IK, Rodriquez CF, Lau TC, Hopkinson AC, Siu KWM. J. Phys. Chem. B 2000; 104: 3393) provides a way of forming radical cations of peptides in the gas phase. This method was used to generate M(+ small middle dot) ions of the two isomeric peptides Gly-Leu-Arg and Gly-Ile-Arg in order to compare their fragmentation reactions. Both radical cations fragment to give even electron y(2) and y(1) sequence ions as well as side-chain radical losses of CH(3) and CH(3)CH(2) for isoleucine and (CH(3))(2)CH for leucine. In contrast the [M + H](+) and [M + 2H](2+) ions do not allow distinction between the isomeric leucine and isoleucine peptides.