Mass spectrometric sequencing of synthetic peptides containing alpha, alpha-dialkylated amino acid residues by MALDI post-source decay analysis.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), a method well-suited for mass determination of biomolecules, has been used to analyze fragment ions generated by post-source decay (PSD) of synthetic peptaibols containing high proportions of the sterically hindered amino acids alpha-amino isobutyric acid (Aib) and isovaline (Iva). Since peptaibols do not have a free N-terminal amino group or side chains subject to protonation, the analyzed peptides saturnisporin SA III, trichotoxin A-50 and chrysospermin B were shown to provide preferred N-terminal and C-terminal a, b, and y fragments as sodium adduct. Additionally, a cleavage of the labile Aib-Probond was observed for all peptides investigated. The fragmentation pattern allowed confirmation of the primary structure and, therefore, demonstrated the usefulness of MALDI-PSD mass spectrometry for sequence analysis of the peptaibols.