Automated mass spectrometric sequence determination of cyclic peptide library members

Cyclic peptides have come under scrutiny as potential antimicrobial therapeutic agents. Combinatorial split-and-pool synthesis of cyclic peptides can afford single compound per well libraries for antimicrobial screening, new lead identification, and construction of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR). Here, we report a new sequencing protocol for rapid identification of the members of a cyclic peptide library based on automated computer analysis of mass spectra, obviating the need for library encoding/decoding strategies. Furthermore, the software readily integrates with common spreadsheet and database packages to facilitate data visualization and archiving. The utility of the new MS-sequencing approach is demonstrated using sonic spray ionization ion trap MS and MS/MS spectrometry on a single compound per bead cyclic peptide library and validated with individually synthesized pure cyclic D,L-alpha-peptides.