Fragmentation of tryptophan by low-energy electrons

Decomposition of gas phase tryptophan (trp) following low energy (<10 eV) electron attachment is investigated by means of a crossed electron/molecular beam experiment. Various negatively charged species are observed, attributed to (trp − H)− (203 amu), (gly-yl)− (74 amu), HCO 2 - (45 amu), CN− (26 amu), OH− (17 amu), and O - / NH 2 - (16 amu). These fragments arise from either simple bond cleavages (e.g., (trp − H)−) or more complex reaction involving molecular rearrangements within the transitory negative ion (e.g., (HCO2)−). Surprisingly, by far the most predominant dissociation processes occur at sub-excitation energies (below the threshold of the electronic excitation). The present Letter may contribute to a better understanding of the initial molecular processes taking place during the interaction of radiation with living systems.