A model system for mass spectrometric sequencing of orthophthalaldehyde peptide derivatives.

Presented is a pilot project describing a new strategy for mass spectrometric peptide sequencing. Using orthophthalaldehyde (OPA), two peptides were derivatized and their fluorescent adducts isolated using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. The OPA-peptides were permethylated and the derivatized molecules subjected to direct probe mass spectral analysis. The spectra obtained from OPA-peptides was analogous to those observed for standard N-acyl permethyl derivatives enabling the complete sequence of the peptides to be determined.