Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry of synthetic peptides.

Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry plays a continuing and effective role in the rapid and efficient analysis of synthetic peptides. In this article, the basic principles of FAB-MS and FAB-MS/MS are reviewed, and the limitations and pitfalls of the method are discussed. The potential of the technique is illustrated by several selected applications. The molecular weight of a synthetic peptide can be readily and accurately determined by FAB-MS. The sensitivity of the FAB-MS method also makes it extremely useful for the evaluation of the purity of a peptide. FAB-MS/MS allows the elucidation of the primary structure of the target peptide, even in a mixture, and also permits the rapid identification of synthetic side products. Hence, FAB-MS and FAB-MS/MS aid in the unequivocal characterization of synthetic peptides. Furthermore, the information that is gained from the FAB analysis can help to unravel potential problems that may be associated with the synthesis.