Application of a fluorogenic reagent, ammonium 7-fluorobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole-4-sulfonate for detection of cystine-containing peptides.

A simple, sensitive and reliable method for the detection of cystine-containing peptides has been developed. A peptide bridged with a disulfide bond was reduced and cleaved with tributylphosphine, and then coupled with a thiol specific reagent, ammonium 7-fluorobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole-4-sulfonate, under alkaline conditions. After incubation at 60 degrees C for 1 h, the fluorescent derivative formed was measured with excitation at 385 nm and emission at 515 nm. The intensity of fluorescence labeled to the peptide was very stable and the peptide containing disulfide was quantitatively determined in the range of 100 pmol to 10 nmol, when oxidized glutathione was used as a standard. This method was very useful for specific detection of cystine-containing peptides in the column effluents on reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography.