What is peptide mapping?

Peptide mapping is an analytical technique used to identify and characterize proteins. It involves digesting a protein into smaller peptides, typically using enzymes like trypsin, and then separating and identifying these peptides using techniques such as liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The resulting peptide map serves as a 'fingerprint' of the protein, allowing for confirmation of its identity, detection of post-translational modifications, and analysis of sequence variations or degradation products. It is commonly used in biopharmaceutical development for protein characterization, biosimilar development, and quality control.