MALDI-MS AS A MONITOR OF THE PURIFICATION AND FOLDING OF SYNTHETIC ECLOSION HORMONE

Analogues of the small protein Manduca sexta eclosion hormone (62 amin o acids) were synthesized by Fmoc solid-phase methodology. Matrix-assi sted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) was used to analyze the products of the syntheses and this information was use d to design an efficient purification scheme. MALDI-MS was used to mon itor the target products through purification and it was also used to monitor folding of the purified materials. The folded EH analogues wer e shown to be biologically active proteins with an in vivo bioassay us ing pharate adult moths, Heliothis virescens. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scienc e Inc.