Glycation refers to a nonenzymatic post-translational modification formed by the reaction of amino groups and reducing sugars. Consecutive oxidation and degradation can produce advanced glycation end products (AGEs), such as N(ε)-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL) and N(ε)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML). Although CEL and CML are considered to be markers of arteriosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and aging, the modified proteins and the exact modification sites are mostly unknown due to their low frequency and a lack of enrichment strategies. Here, we report characteristic fragmentation patterns of CML- and CEL-containing peptides and two modification-specific reporter ions for each modification (CML, m/z 142.1 and 187.1; CEL, m/z 156.1 and 201.1). The protocol allowed sensitive and selective precursor ion scans to detect the modified peptides in complex sample mixtures. The corresponding m/z values identified eight CEL/CML-modification sites in glycated human serum albumin (HSA) by targeted nano-RPC-MS/MS. The same strategy revealed 21 CML sites in 17 different proteins, including modified lysine residues 88 and 396 of human serum albumin, in a pooled plasma sample that was obtained from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Strongly correlated electrostatics of DNA systems has drawn the interest of many groups, especially the condensation and overcharging of DNA by multivalent counterions. By adding counterions of different valencies and shapes, one can enhance or reduce DNA overcharging. In this paper, we focus on the effect of multivalent co-ions, specifically divalent co-ions such as SO[Formula: see text]. A computational experiment of DNA condensation using Monte Carlo simulation in grand canonical ensemble is carried out where the DNA system is in equilibrium with a bulk solution containing a mixture of salt of different valency of co-ions. Compared to systems with purely monovalent co-ions, the influence of divalent co-ions shows up in multiple aspects. Divalent co-ions lead to an increase of monovalent salt in the DNA condensate. Because monovalent salts mostly participate in linear screening of electrostatic interactions in the system, more monovalent salt molecules enter the condensate leads to screening out of short-range DNA-DNA like charge attraction and weaker DNA condensation free energy. The overcharging of DNA by multivalent counterions is also reduced in the presence of divalent co-ions. Strong repulsions between DNA and divalent co-ions and among divalent co-ions themselves lead to a depletion of negative ions near the DNA surface as compared to the case without divalent co-ions. At large distances, the DNA-DNA repulsive interaction is stronger in the presence of divalent co-ions, suggesting that divalent co-ions' role is not only that of simple stronger linear screening.