Incomplete solubilization and digestion and poor peptide recovery are frequent limitations in protein sample preparation for mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. Additives such as SDS or urea can improve protein solubilization and denaturation, but they tend to have negative effects on digestion and MS analysis. Here we present a novel acid- and thermo-labile surfactant, ProteaseMax™ Surfactant, that improves solubilization, digestion and peptide recovery while avoiding negative effects observed with common solubilizing agents. The surfactant is designed to degrade over the course of a typical sample preparation protocol, generating zwitterionic and neutral species that do not interfere with MS.
Promega Notes 99, 3–7.
Sergei Saveliev1, Daniel Simpson1, William Daily2, Carolyn Woodroofe2, Dieter Klaubert2, Grzegorz Sabat3, Robert Bulliet1, and Keith V. Wood1