DNA Oligonucleotide Fragment Ion Rearrangements Upon Collision-Induced Dissociation.

Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of m/z-isolated w type fragment ions and an intact 5' phosphorylated DNA oligonucleotide generated rearranged product ions. Of the 21 studied w ions of various nucleotide sequences, fragment ion sizes, and charge states, 18 (~86%) generated rearranged product ions upon CID in a Synapt G2-S HDMS (Waters Corporation, Manchester, England, UK) ion mobility-mass spectrometer. Mass spectrometry (MS), ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), and theoretical modeling data suggest that purine bases can attack the free 5' phosphate group in w type ions and 5' phosphorylated DNA to generate sequence permuted [phosphopurine](-) fragment ions. We propose and discuss a potential mechanism for generation of rearranged [phosphopurine](-) and complementary y-B type product ions.