title: Identification of post-translational modifications resulting from LHbeta polymorphisms by matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometric analysis of pituitary LHbeta core fragment.
abstract: Metabolism of the human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)- and LHbeta-subunits (hCGbeta, LHbeta) terminates with the urinary excretion of core fragment (hCGbetacf, LHbetacf) molecules that retain antigenic shape and constituent N-linked carbohydrate moieties. We have previously demonstrated the resolved mass spectra of hCGbetacf, from which the carbohydrate moieties present at two N-linked glycosylation sites were identified. LHbetacf was subjected to the same mass spectrometric analysis. As LHbeta shares 82% homology with hCGbeta but possesses only one glycosylation consensus site a simpler spectral fingerprint of LHbetacf glycoforms was expected. LHbetacf was reduced with dithiothreitol and analysed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Glycoforms were predicted by subtracting the peptide mass from the m/z values of the observed peaks and then sequentially subtracting the masses of the monosaccharide residues of hCGbeta N-linked carbohydrates reported in the literature. The mass spectra of LHbetacf revealed a broad single peak ranging from m/z 8700 to 10 700. Following reduction, this peak was replaced by a set of partially resolved peaks between m/z 4130 and 5205 corresponding to glycosylated forms of the peptide LHbeta6-40. A peak at m/z 4252.2 corresponded to the non-glycosylated peptide LHbeta55-93. Remaining peaks indicated that the pooled sample comprised a wide set of glycoforms, contained LHbetacf with two N-linked carbohydrate moieties and indicated evidence of further glycosylation due to amino acid substitution in polymorphic variants. This is evidence that a single nucleotide polymorphism alters the post-translational modification of a protein and hence its structural phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE, UK.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Jacoby
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Kicman
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Iles
mesh_terms: D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D037101:Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D037101:Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020033:Protein Isoforms