New analysis technique for structure of peptides

In the past three years, KVI scientists Sadia Bari, Ronnie Hoekstra and Thomas Schlathölter have developed a setup with which peptides can be analyzed with a completely new technique. The researchers bombard the peptides with multiply charged ions with high energies. In a collision between ion and peptide, which is far shorter than a millionth of a microsecond, so much energy is transferred to the peptide that it fragmentizes immediately. Fragmentation patterns (mass spectra) differ strongly from those achieved with conventional methods and they give a wealth of information.

The results of the research were recently published as frontcover story in the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. The experiments show that it is in principle possible to do peptide analysis with multiply charged ions. This opens the door to the direct study of larger peptides without having to cut them in pieces with the help of enzymes.

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