Edman Stepwise degradation of polypeptides: a new strategy employing mild basic cleavage conditions

Abstract

Terminal N -(phenylthiocarbamoyl)peptides, formed under mild basic conditions in the first stage (“coupling”) of the Edman degradation of peptides, are shown to undergo cleavage at the first peptide bond under similar conditions at higher termperatures. The usual products of the Edman degradation are formed (the phenylthiohydantoin of the N -terminal amino acid, and the correspondingly shortened peptide) in one step.