Amino acids deamidation

R. Tyler-Cross and V. Schirch, Effects of amino acid sequence, buffers and ionic strength on the rate and mechanism of deamidation of asparagine residues in small peptides, J. Biol. Chem, 266, 22549 (1991). 

Reverse-phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) separates proteins on the basis of differences in their surface hydophobicity. The stationary phase in the HPLC column normally consists of silica or a polymeric support to which hydrophobic arms (usually alkyl chains, such as butyl, octyl or octadecyl groups) have been attached. Reverse-phase systems have proven themselves to be a particularly powerful analytical technique, capable of separating very similar molecules displaying only minor differences in hydrophobicity. In some instances a single amino acid substitution or the removal of a single amino acid from the end of a polypeptide chain can be detected by RP-HPLC. In most instances, modifications such as deamidation will also cause peak shifts. Such systems, therefore, may be used to detect impurities, be they related or unrelated to the protein product. RP-HPLC finds extensive application in, for example, the analysis of insulin preparations. Modified forms, or insulin polymers, are easily distinguishable from native insulin on reverse-phase columns. 

When chromatographic resolution of species based on modifications located at the protein surface is desired, it may be advisable to use conditions that favor retention of native conformation.17 Here, the standard acidic conditions described in the preceding text may be inappropriate, and mobile phases buffered near neutrality may be required. Buffers based on ammonium acetate, ammonium bicarbonate, and triethylammonium phosphate may prove more useful in resolving polypeptide variants with differing posttranslational modifications, amino acid substitutions, or oxidation and deamidation products. The addition of more hydro-phobic ion-pairing agents may be needed to obtain polypeptide retention, and a variety of alkyl sulfonates and alkyl amines have been described for specific applications.17... 

Chemical changes include posttranslational modifications including glycosy-lation, phosphorylation, disulfide bond formation and exchange (scrambling), proteolysis or hydrolysis, and deamidation or oxidation of amino acids.4... 

Proteins, peptides, and other polymeric macromolecules display varying degrees of chemical and physical stability. The degree of stability of these macromolecules influence the way they are manufactured, distributed, and administered. Chemical stability refers to how readily the molecule can undergo chemical reactions that modify specific amino-acid residues, the building blocks of the proteins and peptides. Chemical instability mechanisms of proteins and peptides include hydrolysis, deamidation, racemization, beta-elimination, disulfide exchange, and oxidation. Physical stability refers to how readily the molecule loses its tertiary and/or sec-... 

Enfuvirtide (Fuzeon , T-20, Ro 29-9800, Hoffmann-La Roche) is a 36-amino acid synthetic peptide with a molecular weight of 4492 Da. It selectively inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) fusion to the host cell membranes [73]. The N-terminus of the molecule is acetylated and the C-terminus is amidated. A metabolite, M-20, is deamidated at the C-terminus. An ELISA method was initially used during drug development of this compound, but the decision was made to develop and validate an LC-ESI-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of enfuvirtide and M-20 for PK studies to support the NDA submission of this product [53]. Some of the issues of LC-ESI-MS/MS application for peptide bioanalysis are highlighted in the following. 

Another screening method has been described for the enzymatic deamidation of (rac)-N-carbamoyl amino acid amides to enantiopure /V-carbamoyl-i.-amino acids.413... 

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