Extension of microwave-accelerated residue-specific acid cleavage to proteins with carbohydrate side chains and disulfide linkages

This laboratory has introduced a chemical method for residue-specific protein cleavage and has provided a preliminary assessment of the suitability of microwave-accelerated acid cleavage as a proteomic tool. This report is a continuing assessment of the fate of common protein modifications in microwave-accelerated acid cleavage. We have examined the cleavage of ribonuclease A and the related N-linked glycoprotein ribonuclease B, and the O-linked glycoprotein alpha crystallin A chain, using MALDI-TOF and LC–ESI-MS to identify the peptide products. RNase A and B each contains four disulfide bonds, and the addition of a reducing reagent, such as dithiothreitol, was found to be required to achieve efficient acidic proteolysis. The linkage of the glycosidic group to the asparagine side chain in ribonuclease B was found not to be cleaved by brief microwave treatment in 12.5% acetic acid. The distribution of the heterogeneous carbohydrate side chain in the glycopeptide products of acid cleavage was compared to that of the glycopeptide products of tryptic digestion. Hydrolysis within the carbohydrate chain itself is minimal under the conditions used. The O-linked side chain on alpha crystalline A was found to be cleaved during acid cleavage of the protein.