Tandem mass spectrometry of leucine enkephalin and physalaemin using a hybrid instrument

Abstract

Daughter ion mass spectral data of [M + H]+ ions of leucine enkephalin and physalaemin, which were formed by fast atom bombardment, were obtained using an instrument of EBQQ configuration. In the case of leucine enkephalin, experiments were carried out in which the collision energy was varied and the collision gas pressure kept constant and vice versa. The results show that conditions can be established under which seuqence-relevant ions above m/z 200 are formed, as well as under which mainly immonium and acylium type ions are generated. Of possible interest for characterization of unknown peptides, when using hybrid instruments, are the mid-chain cleavage ions, which, at a constant argon gas pressure of 5 × 10−6 mbat, were found to maximize at around 30 eV collision energy. Daughter ion mass spectral data are also presented for [M + H]+ ions of physalaemin (mol. wt 1264). Compared to data obtained for physalaemin on multisector instruments, our results indicate that the formation of mid-chain cleavage ions is clearly enhanced.