Comparison of the pH‐dependent formation of His and Cys heptapeptide complexes of nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II) as determined by ion mobility‐mass spectrometry

The analog methanobactin (amb) peptide with the sequence ac‐His₁‐Cys₂‐Gly₃‐Pro₄‐Tyr₅‐His₆‐Cys₇ (amb_5A) will bind the metal ions of zinc, nickel, and copper. To further understand how amb_5A binds these metals, we have undertaken a series of studies of structurally related heptapeptides where one or two of the potential His or Cys binding sites have been replaced by Gly, or the C‐terminus has been blocked by amidation. The studies were designed to compare how these metals bind to these sequences in different pH solutions of pH 4.2 to 10 and utilized native electrospray ionization (ESI) with ion mobility‐mass spectrometry (IM‐MS) which allows for the quantitative analysis of the charged species produced during the reactions. The native ESI conditions were chosen to conserve as much of the solution‐phase behavior of the amb peptides as possible and an analysis of how the IM‐MS results compare with the expected solution‐phase behavior is discussed. The oligopeptides studied here have applications for tag‐based protein purification methods, as therapeutics for diseases caused by elevated metal ion levels or as inhibitors for metal‐protein enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinases.     

Structure of AcMet-Gly and Its Interaction with Palladium（Ⅱ） Tetraaqua Complex Studied by Electrospray Mass Spectrometry and Density Functional Theory

The structure of dipepide AcMet‐Gly was determined by X‐ray crystallographic analysis. It possesses mono‐clinic, space group P2₁ (No. 4). with cell dimensions of α=0.8571(2) nm, b=0.5871(2) nm, c= 1.197(3) nm, β= 99.290(10)°. V=0.5944(15) nm³, Z=2, μ=2.74 cm^?1. Mononuclear chelates, described as [Pd(X)(S,N,O‐AcMet‐Gly)]^?, in which Pd(II) is coordinated by thioether, deprotonated amide nitrogen, carbonyl oxygen of me‐thionine and X (AcMetGly or other ligands present in aqueous solution or in mobile phase solution), were detected 5 min after mixing AcMet‐Gly with [Pd(H₂O)₄]^2‐ at room temperature using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The geometry of [Pd(H₂O)(S,N,O‐AcMet‐Gly)]^? is optimized at density functional B3LYP/LanL2DZ level. The fused five‐ and six‐membered chelate is responsible for cleavage of Met‐Gly bond. This is the first time to provide a direct evidence for Pd(II)‐mediated cleavage of dipeptides via external solvent attack.     

Gas phase isomeric differentiation of oleanolic and ursolic acids associated with heptakis‐(2,6‐di‐O‐methyl)‐β‐cyclodextrin by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA) are isomeric triterpenoid compounds with similar pharmaceutical properties. Usually, modern chromatographic and electrophoretic methods are widely utilized to differentiate these two compounds. Compared with mass spectrometric (MS) methods, these modern separation methods are both time‐ and sample‐consuming. Herein, we present a new method for structural differentiation of OA and UA by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR MS) with the association of heptakis‐(2,6‐di‐O‐methyl)‐β‐cyclodextrin (DM‐β‐CD). Exact MS and tandem MS (MS/MS) data showed that there is no perceptible difference between OA and UA, as well as their β‐cyclodextrin and γ‐cyclodextrin complexes. However, there is a remarkable difference in MS/MS spectra of DM‐β‐CD complexes of OA and UA. The peak corresponding to the neutral loss of a formic acid and a water molecule could only be observed in the MS/MS spectrum of the complex of DM‐β‐CD : OA. Molecular modeling calculations were also employed to further investigate the structural differences of DM‐β‐CD : OA and DM‐β‐CD : UA complexes. Therefore, by employing DM‐β‐CD as a reference reagent, OA and UA could be differentiated with purely MS method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.