title: Identification and quantification of different species in animal fibres by LC/ESI-MS analysis of keratin-derived proteolytic peptides.
abstract: In the present paper, a proteomic method for species determination in fibres has been developed. Keratin was extracted from yak, wool and cashmere fibres and digested by trypsin, providing peptide mixtures that were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) in order to identify peptidic species-specific markers able to differentiate the fibres. Several suitable peptide markers were identified and validated in different fibres of different origin and having undergone different technological treatments, showing 100% specificity and 100% selectivity. Most of the peptide markers were also identified by means of high-resolution mass spectrometry, confirming the origin from species-specific keratin sequences. Some peptides were also used for the quantification of the different species in mixed fibres by LC/ESI-MS. Validation experiments and blind tests confirmed their ability to act as very specific quantitative and qualitative markers. The method here developed is a valid complement to the standard benchmark methods for fibre identification and quantification and will be very useful for assessing the authenticity of textile products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paolella
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bencivenni
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lambertini
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prandi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faccini
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tonetti
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vineis
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sforza
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006041:Goats; D007633:Keratins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012756:Sheep; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D014357:Trypsin; D014935:Wool / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D007633:Keratins; D014357:Trypsin
keywords: LC/ESI-MS; animal fibres; enzymatic digestion; peptide markers; wool identification