L. Darville, M.E. Merchant, K.K. Murray, A mass spectrometry approach for the study of deglycosylated proteins, “Microchem. J.,” 99 (2011) 309–311. doi:10.1016/j.microc.2011.05.020.

Abstract: Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, after enzymatic or chemical deglycosylation, requires preparatory steps to remove salts and buffers. In this work, the glycosylated protein fetuin and a lectin protein isolated from the serum of Alligator mississippiensis were used to evaluate methods for desalting samples after an enzymatic or chemical deglycosylation. Precipitation and dialysis were used to prepare the deglycosylated samples for MS analysis. Both the precipitation and dialysis methods were suitable for sample preparation prior to analysis by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) MS.

Prof. Mark Merchant inspecting an alligator’s teeth at McNeese State University