Fast atom bombardment combined with tandem mass spectrometry for analysis of a complex mixture of lipo-oligopeptides fromNocardia rubra cell wallskeleton

Experimental variables in fast atom bombardment combined with tandem mass spectrometry based on low-energy collision-induced dissociation have been systematically invetigated in order to optimize parameters for analysis of synthetic lipo-oligopeptides. The parameters studied were matrix, ion polarity, collision gas, collision gas pressure and collision energy. The optimal parameters recommended in this study have been applied to the N-terminal amino acid seuquence determination of lipopeptide obtained from Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton. Daughter and parent ion experiments with negative ion fast atom bombardment combined with tandem mass spectrometry have proven to be very useful for structure elucidation of a complex mixture of lipo-oligopeptides.