Dj. Aaserud et al., DISTINGUISHING N-TERMINUS AND C-TERMINUS IONS FOR MASS-SPECTROMETRY SEQUENCING OF PROTEINS WITHOUT PRIOR DEGRADATION, Rapid communications in mass spectrometry, 9(10), 1995, pp. 871-876
Identifying complementary pairs of fragment ions, b-type vs y-type, is
a key step in mass spectral sequencing of proteins without degradatio
n prior to ionization. Observations that b-type ions tend to be less s
table than y-type have been extended to carbonic anhydrase (29 kDa) as
a model protein. Infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) of 24 +, 2
7 +, 30 + molecular ions shows y-type ions from complementary pairs re
quire, on average, 27% longer irradiation times for onset of abundance
decrease, while in nozzle/skimmer dissociation of all charge states,
y-type ions require a 20% higher potential difference. In some cases,
b-ion dissociation appears to accompany its formation, as its rate of
increase with increasing energy deposition is far less than that of it
s y-complement.