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Identification and characterization of cysteinyl exposure in proteins by selective mercury labeling and nano‐electrospray ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
Lu Meiling,
Li XingFang,
Le X. Chris,
Weinfeld Michael,
Wang Hailin
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.4550
Subject(s) - chemistry , cysteine , electrospray ionization , mass spectrometry , tandem mass spectrometry , peptide , top down proteomics , peptide mass fingerprinting , protein mass spectrometry , glutathione , chromatography , biochemistry , proteomics , enzyme , gene
We describe a method for probing surface‐exposed cysteines in proteins by selective labeling with p ‐hydroxymercuribenzoate (PMB) combined with nano‐electrospray ionization mass spectrometric analysis (nanoESI‐MS). The rapid, stoichiometric, and specific labeling by PMB of surface‐exposed cysteines allows for characterization of the accessibility of the cysteines using a single MS analysis. Moreover, by taking advantage of the large mass shift of 321 Da, unique isotopic pattern, and enhanced MS signal of PMB‐labeled cysteine‐containing peptide fragments, the surface‐exposed cysteines in proteins can be accurately identified by peptide mapping. The number and sites of reactive cysteines on the surface of human and rat hemoglobins (hHb and rHb) were identified as examples. Collision‐induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) analysis of specific peptides further confirmed the selective labeling of PMB in hHb. The subtle difference between the different cysteine residues in rHb was also evaluated by multiple PMB titrations. The difference between the two cysteines in their environment may partially explain their reaction specificity. Cysteine 125 in the β unit of rHb is exposed on the surface, explaining its reactivity with glutathione. Cysteine 13 in the α subunit of rHb is much less exposed, and is located in a hydrophobic pocket, a conclusion that is consistent with the previous observation of its selective binding with dimethylarsinous acid, a reactive arsenic metabolite. The method is potentially useful for probing cysteines in other biologically important proteins and for studying proteins that are associated with conformational or structural changes induced by denaturing processes, protein modifications, protein‐protein interactions and protein assemblies. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.