Evidence for a lysine-specific fragmentation in fast-atom bombardment mass spectra of peptides

A fragmentation process observed for peptides that contain lysine, or other amino acids which possess a free amino group on their sidechain, is reported. The ions generated by this process are found 16 Da below the acylium-type B ions that result from fragmentation at the C-terminal side of lysine or other amine-containing residues in fast-atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectra. These ions, which are referred to as (B-16) ions, permit differentiation between the isobaric amino acids lysine and glutamine in peptide mass spectra. High resolution measurements indicate that (B-16) ions differ in composition from the corresponding B ions by the removal of one oxygen atom. Formation is believed to occur through a cyclization process initiated by nucleophilic attack by the free amino group of the lysine sidechain at the carbon of the acylium ion (B ion). A similar process initiated directly from the protonated peptide may also occur. Analogous cyclization processes are restricted for glutamine because this residue is comparatively less nucleophilic than lysine (i.e., amide vs amine). Although (B-16) ions have been detected under high energy collisionally induced dissociation, they are formed less readily than by FAB mass spectrometry. A mechanism consistent with this observation as well as other experimental evidence is presented to account for the formation of (B-16) ions.