Rapid determination of ergosterol in yeast cells

A rapid isocratic method for the determination of ergosterol in microbial cells is described. Labilization of sterols is achieved by mild acid hydrolysis and subsequent saponification. Cholesterol is added as an internal standard in order to compensate for recovery losses during pretreatment and extraction steps. The extracted sterols are separated within 10 min by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with an optimized mobile phase composed of methanol, ethanol, water and isopropanol. Eluted sterols are monitored by UV detection. In order to achieve optimum sensitivity the wavelength is changed automatically to the range of high spectral absorbance, i.e., 282 nm for ergosterol and 210 nm for cholesterol. The coefficient of variation is about 0.6% at an ergosterol level of 0.7 mg; the limit of detection is as low as 6 ng.     

Adsorption/partition model of liquid chromatography for chemically bonded stationary phases of the aliphatic cyano, reversed-phase C8 and reversed-phase C18 types

A novel approach was introduced to modeling solute retention in the liquid chromatography systems, employing silica-based aliphatic chemically bonded stationary phases of the cyano, reversed-phase C8 and reversed-phase C18 types, and the mixed binary eluents most frequently used in the reversed-phase and normal-phase chromatography modes (i.e. using the methanol-water and the 2-propanol-n-hexane liquid mixtures, respectively). This approach takes notice of the mixed (adsorption/partition) mechanism of solute retention, in which both, the adsorptive and the dispersive forces contribute to the overall energetics of this process. Performance of our new model was compared with that of the widely recognized and on a routine basis applied Schoenmakers approach, and it was found out that both models perform with a practically equal and outstanding accuracy.     

Retention behaviour of ceramides in sub-critical fluid chromatography in comparison with non-aqueous reversed-phase liquid chromatography

This study was devoted to the development of an analytical method for ceramide analysis in packed subcritical fluid chromatography (pSubFC). Monofunctional grafted silica support was found to be more suitable for ceramide analysis. Five Kromasil columns were coupled and the parameters, temperature, pressure and percentage of organic modifier in CO2 were optimised, considering selectivity and analysis time. The final conditions were 31 degrees C, 6% of methanol (MeOH) and 13 MPa. In these conditions the selectivity for structural differences (methylene group, unsaturation or two different bases) were studied. As classically observed, the methylene selectivity decreased with the increase of the eluotropic strength. Moreover, unlike in non-aqueous reversed-phase liquid chromatography (NARP-LC), adding a further unsaturation and two further methylene groups on ceramide results to an increase of retention in pSubFC. Moreover, this last technique allowed to separate ceramides with the same total number of carbons containing unsaturated fatty acids, when the distribution of carbon number of the two chain is very different. These results had enabled to plot retention chart in order to predict ceramide structure in view to identify additional ceramide. This retention chart was finally compared with the one already obtained in NARP-LC.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic resolution of reverse isomers of 1,2-diacyl-rac-glycerols as 3,5-dinitrophenylurethanes

The resolution of reverse isomers remains a major unsolved problem in glycerolipid chromatography. We have investigated the separation of the reverse isomers of 1,2-diacyl-rac-glycerols under a variety of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) conditions. The reverse isomers of diacylglycerols having various pairs of acyl groups including short and highly unsaturated chains, which were prepared by partial Grignard degradation of the corresponding triacylglycerols, were chromatographed as 3,5-dinitrophenylurethanes. Excellent resolution was achieved for the reverse isomers of very different pairs of acyl groups, such as acetate-palmitate and docosahexaenoate-palmitate, by chiral-phase HPLC on columns containing (R)- and (S)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine polymeric phases, reversed-phase HPLC on a highly efficient C18 column (4 microm particle size) and silver ion HPLC on a silver loaded cation-exchange column. The chiral-phase HPLC also permitted complete enantiomer resolution for all the reverse isomers examined. No satisfactory resolution by any of the HPLC methods, however, was obtained for the reverse isomers possessing minor differences in chain lengths and degree of unsaturation, such as laurate-palmitate and oleate-linoleate. The limitations of resolution and characteristics of elution are described.     

Examining the collision-induced decomposition spectra of ammoniated triglycerides as a function of fatty acid chain length and degree of unsaturation. I. The OXO/YOY series

A series of positionally pure triglycerides (TAGs) of the form OXO and YOY, where O is the oleate moiety and X and Y are large arrays of different fatty acid moieties, was synthesized and analyzed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. The intensities of the collision-induced decomposition (CID) products of ammoniated TAGs (ammonium ion adducts) were examined as a function of chain length, degree of unsaturation, double-bond position, and cis/trans configuration of X and Y. The major CID products, the diglyceride fragment ions and the MH+ ion, were plotted as functions of chain length for the saturated and mono-unsaturated series of X and Y. Different trends for each of these series were observed. Trends in the abundances of these fragment ions were also characterized as a function of degree of unsaturation in the TAGs. In general, the fractional abundances of the MH+ ions vary linearly with degree of unsaturation. However, the presence of double bonds positioned close to the carbonyl carbon of the fatty acid chain promotes the formation of the diglyceride fragment ion corresponding to loss of that fatty acid. Mechanisms of the formation and decomposition of ammoniated TAGs are proposed that fit the trends observed in the data. Extensions of this work are described, and a vision of a derived library of CID spectra is discussed as a platform for comprehensive analysis of complex TAG mixtures.     

Multimeric high-performance liquid chromatography of plant sterols using UV detection

A method for the multimeric high-performance liquid chromatography of plant sterols is proposed which permits the separation of compounds close in structure with similar chromatographic properties. The first stage includes the chemical modification of the sterols with the aid of a bis(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate group. The phosphotriesters formed as the result of the reaction are separated by normal-phase HPLC. The compounds isolated are treated with ammonia, as a result of which the sterol phosphotriesters are converted into the corresponding phosphodiesters. These phosphodiesters are then subjected to reversed-phase HPLC. The chromatographic separation of UV-absorbing sterol derivatives using several variants of HPLC substantially increases the resolving power of the method.State Scientific-Research Institute on the Standardization and Control of Drugs, USSR Ministry of Health, Moscow. L. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. Translated from Khimiya Prirodynkh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 831–836, November–December, 1988.     

Silver-phase high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray mass spectrometry of triacylglycerols

Silver-phase chromatography hyphenated with on-line electrospray mass spectrometry can be applied to characterize triacylglycerols present in vegetable oils with respect to their degree of unsaturation, the position of the most unsaturated fatty acid and the carbon number (CN). The CN information obtained with silver-phase HPLC–ESP–mass spectrometry is complementary to the unsaturation information obtained by silver-phase HPLC-flame ionization detection. Both information is essential to monitor or study modified vegetable oils on the presence of non-natural triacylglycerols. The quantitative results obtained with the method are in agreement with the results obtained in the silver-phase HPLC-flame ionization detection and with theoretical values calculated from the fatty acid distribution of the oil. Silver-phase HPLC–ESP-mass spectrometry gives direct information on fatty acid position and triacylglycerol CN, for each of the triacylglycerols in the sample. This in contrast with non-aqueous reversed-phase HPLC hyphenated with on-line atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry, which requires a more extensive data processing. The results obtained with silver-phase HPLC–ESP-mass spectrometry can be presented in a three-dimensional overview (relative amount, CN, fatty acid position) serving as a fingerprint for the oil.     

Chromatographic and physical studies of tropomyosin in aqueous-organic media at low pH

Non-cross-linked and disulfide-cross-linked two-chain molecules comprising the alpha and/or beta chains of rabbit skeletal tropomyosin were studied by electrophoretic, chromatographic and physical methods. Elution order on C4 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography depends markedly on the number and position of the cross-links. In the C4 reversed-phase elution medium, cross-linked and non-cross-linked species are greater than 85% helical by circular dichroism, but the non-cross-linked elute later from high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (G4000) and have molecular mass of 31,000-41,000 dalton by equilibrium ultracentrifugation. The data suggest that in the C4 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography elution medium non-cross-linked tropomyosin exists as amphipathic single-chain alpha-helices.     

Analysis of oil used in late Roman oil lamps with different mass spectrometric techniques revealed the presence of predominantly olive oil together with traces of animal fat.

The lipid fraction of residues in ancient oil lamps found at the archaeological site of Sagalassos (south-west Turkey) was analysed by gas chromatography (GC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS). The identification of plant sterols and long chain alcohols suggested that a vegetable oil was used in these lamps. The lipid sample was also analysed with reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to MS with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). The identification of TAG's detected with LC-APCI-MS showed that predominantly olive oil was used as a fuel for the antique oil lamps. The presence of large quantities of multiply unsaturated triacylglycerol (TAG) and traces of saturated TAG indicated that also other oils and animal fat were added. Summarizing, the analysis of TAG's with LC-APCI-MS in lipid extracts of ancient ceramics proved to be a valuable method to reconstitute the original contents.     

Preparative high-performance liquid chromatography of peptides on a new reversed-phase packing material, Kromasil C18

Preparative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography has found wide use in the production of peptides for pharmaceutical formulations. Purity of the substance and overall economy of the chromatographic system are the most important criterias. In this sense optimized, silica particles and production process with capability to separately control parameters important to chromatography, are essential to high-performance chromatography. Kromasil C18 packing material was tested and evaluated in respect of its selectivity, flow and pressure properties, resolution, load capacity, recovery, adsorption effects, mechanical strength and chemical degradation.     

Bile acids. LXXVI. Analyses of bile acids and sterols by high-performance liquid chromatography with a microbore column

The mobilities of several free and conjugated 5 beta-bile acids, cholesterol and analogues, and alpha, beta-unsaturated sterols and steroidal acids have been investigated with a microbore reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic column (50 cm X 1 mm I.D., 12% C18) with appropriate solvent mixtures at flow-rates of 50-100 microliter/min and a UV monitor set at 193, 198, 212, or 243 nm. With a solvent mixture of 2-propanol-10 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.0 (160:340) bile acids or their conjugates were separated in a manner similar to those by microBondapak columns (10% C18). The lower detection limit of the conjugates was 20 pmoles with the UV detector set at 193 nm, whereas the lower limit for alpha, beta-unsaturated keto sterols or steroidal acids was 5 pmoles at 243 nm. The detection limit for cholesterol with the UV monitor at 198 nm was 10 pmoles. Contributions of substituent groups of sterols to their time of elution (capacity factor) were calculated for several substituted 4-cholesten-3-ones.     

Thin-layer chromatography/electrospray ionization triple-quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry system: analysis of rhodamine dyes separated on reversed-phase C8 plates

The direct analysis of separated rhodamine dyes on reversed-phase C(8) thin-layer chromatography plates using a surface sampling/electrospray emitter probe coupled with a triple-quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer is presented. This report represents continuing work to advance the performance metrics and utility of this basic surface sampling electrospray mass spectrometry system for the analysis of thin-layer chromatography plates. Experimental results examining the role of sampling probe spray end configuration on liquid aspiration rate and gas-phase ion signal generated are discussed. The detection figures-of-merit afforded by full-scan, automated product ion and selected reaction monitoring modes of operation were examined. The effect of different eluting solvents on mass spectrum signal levels with the reversed-phase C(8) plate was investigated. The combined effect of eluting solvent flow-rate and development lane surface scan rate on preservation of chromatographic resolution was also studied. Analysis of chromatographically separated red pen ink extracts from eight different pens using selected reaction monitoring demonstrated the potential of this surface sampling electrospray mass spectrometry system for targeted compound analysis with real samples.     

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography purification of methyl esters of C(16)-C(28) polyunsaturated fatty acids in microalgae, including octacosaoctaenoic acid [28:8(n-3)

A preparative reversed-phase (RP; C(18)) high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with gradient elution using acetonitrile (MeCN)-chloroform (CHCl(3)) (or dichloromethane (DCM)) and evaporative light-scattering detection (ELSD) with automatic multiple injection and fraction collection was used to purify milligram quantities of microalgal polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), separated as methyl esters (ME). PUFA-ME purified included methyl esters of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6(n-3)), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5(n-3)) and the unusual very long-chain (C(28)) highly unsaturated fatty acid (VLC-HUFA), octacosaoctaenoic acid [28:8(n-3)(4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25)] from the marine dinoflagellate Scrippsiella sp. CS-295/c. Other PUFA purified from various microalgae using this RP-HPLC method to greater than 95% purity included 16:3(n-4), 16:4(n-3), 16:4(n-1) and 18:5(n-3). The number of injections required was variable and depended on the abundance of the desired PUFA-ME, and resolution from closely eluting PUFA-ME, which determined the maximum loading. The purity of these fatty acids was determined by electron impact (EI) GC-MS and the chain length and location of double bonds was determined by EI GC-MS of 4,4-dimethyl oxazoline (DMOX) derivatives formed using a low temperature method. Advantages over silver-ion HPLC for purifying PUFA-ME is that separation occurs according to chain length as well as degree of unsaturation enabling separation of PUFA-ME with the same degree of unsaturation but different chain length (i.e. between 18:5(n-3) and 20:5(n-3)). In addition, PUFA-ME are not strongly adsorbed, but elute earlier than their more saturated corresponding FAME of the same chain length. This method is robust, simple, and requires only a short re-equilibration time. It is a useful tool for preparing milligram quantities of pure PUFA-ME for bioactive screening (as free fatty acids), although many multiple injections may be required for minor PUFA-ME. It also enabled dose-response and structure-activity studies to be carried out. It can be used for the enrichment of low levels of VLC-HUFA-ME to facilitate elucidation of their chemical structure and so is a useful adjunct to EI GC-MS of DMOX derivatives and other techniques such as NMR, which requires milligram quantities of purified compounds.     

A ROLE FOR STEROLS IN THE PORPHYRIN MEDIATED PHOTOSENSITIZATION OF YEAST

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used as a model system to determine the role of sterols in the porphyrin mediated photosensitization of yeast. A sterol auxotroph, RD5-R, was grown on sterols with different levels of unsaturation and assayed for photosensitivity in the presence of either protoporphyrin IX or hematoporphyrin (both at 100 micrograms/ml). Cells grown on the completely saturated sterol (stanol), cholestanol, were substantially more resistant to the photosensizing effects of the porphyrin. We hypothesize that this resistance arises from the inability of the porphyrin to mediate the oxidation of the membrane sterol. Our results indicate that photodegradation of the native yeast sterol, ergosterol, can account for substantial losses of cell viability.     

Determination of aniracetam and its main metabolite, N-anisoyl-GABA, in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

Two different reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic methods for the determination of aniracetam (I) and its metabolite N-anisoyl-GABA (II) in human plasma are described. The procedure for I involves direct injection of plasma samples spiked with the internal standard on a clean-up column followed by reversed-phase chromatography on a C18 column. The limit of quantification was 5 ng/ml, using a 200-microliters specimen of plasma. The mean inter-assay precision of the method up to 800 ng/ml was 3%. The procedure for II involved liquid-liquid extraction of II and the internal standard from plasma with ethyl acetate, and reversed-phase chromatography on a C18 column. The limit of quantification was 50 ng/ml using a 0.5-ml plasma specimen. The mean inter-assay precision up to 50 micrograms/ml was 6%. The applicability and accuracy of the methods were demonstrated by the analysis of over 1000 plasma samples from two bioavailability studies in healthy volunteers.     

Quantitative analysis of desmosterol, cholesterol and cholesterol sulfate in semen by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A simple, rapid and accurate method to separate and quantify cholesterol, desmosterol and cholesterol sulfate in human spermatozoa and seminal plasma (SP) is described. This high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure is based on reversed-phase chromatography on a Inertsil ODS2 5 microm silica column with a binary gradient of mixtures of chloroform-methanol and chloroform-methanol-water as the mobile phase at a flow-rate of 0.25 ml/min. Sterols are separated with good resolution and high reproducibility. The eluted sterols are quantified using a light-scattering (mass) detector. As little as 64, 64 and 68 pmol of cholesterol, desmosterol and cholesterol sulfate, respectively, can be quantified under these conditions. Cholesterol is the predominant sterol both in spermatozoa (107+/-7 nmol/10(8) spermatozoa) and SP (0.83+/-0.10 micromol/ml) whereas the concentrations of desmosterol were 38+/-6 nmol/10(8) in spermatozoa and 0.18+/-0.02 micromol/ml in SP. Cholesterol sulfate represents about 6% of total cholesterol in the spermatozoa and SP. In conclusion, this method offers interesting perspectives for the quantitative analysis of these sterols not only in semen, but also in other biological samples.     

Examining the collision-induced decomposition spectra of ammoniated triglycerides as a function of fatty acid chain length and degree of unsaturation. II. The PXP/YPY series

A series of positionally pure triglycerides (TAGs) of the form PXP and YPY, where P is the palmitate moiety and X and Y are large arrays of different fatty acid moieties, is synthesized and analyzed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. The intensities of the collision-induced decomposition (CID) products of ammoniated TAGs were examined as a function of chain length, degree of unsaturation, double-bond position, and cis/trans configuration of X and Y. The major CID products, the diglyceride (DAG) fragment ions and the MH(+) ions, are plotted as functions of chain length for the saturated and monounsaturated series of X and Y. Different trends for each of these series are observed. Trends in the intensities of these fragment ions are also characterized as a function of degree of unsaturation in the TAGs. In general, the fractional intensities of MH(+) increase with increasing degree of unsaturation in the TAGs. MH(+) is absent in the CID spectra of triglycerides containing three saturated fatty acid moieties, suggesting that the presence of double bonds fosters the formation of MH(+). Double bonds positioned close to the carbonyl carbon along the fatty acid chain promote the formation of the DAG fragment ion corresponding to the loss of the fatty acid. The collection of PXP/YPY data produced in this work is used to test the mechanisms of the formation and decomposition of ammoniated TAGs that were previously presented. The YPY data are used to predict the intensities of the fragment ions in the CID spectra of YPX-type TAGs. The limitations of the mathematical approach used in these predictions are discussed in context of a broader plan to develop a software platform for comprehensive analysis of complex TAG mixtures.     

Repeatability in column preparation of a reversed-phase C18 monolith and its application to separation of tocopherol homologues

This work investigated the repeatability of column preparation for a reversed-phase C18 monolith, namely stearyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (SMA-EDMA). The columns were thermally polymerised using three commonly available heating devices (GC oven, hot air oven and water bath) and their chromatographic performance evaluated using micro-liquid chromatography for separation of five test compounds. Precision in terms of %RSD of retention times were 9.0, 6.5, and 12.5 using GC oven, hot air oven and water bath, respectively. Between-batch precision for the hot air oven (n = 3 days) was less than 10.4% for retention time. The SMA-EDMA monolith was applied to the separation of tocopherol homologues by capillary electrochromatography. Usually tocopherol homologues cannot be completely separated by conventional reversed-phase C8- or C18-packed bed or C18-silica based monolithic columns. Polymer monolith has been shown to give remarkable selectivity towards the tocopherols compared to the conventional microparticulate phase and silica based monolith. Successful separation of the tocopherol isomers was achieved on the SMA-EDMA monolith without any column modification.     

反相液相色谱法制备纯化柠檬苦素类似物配糖体

 利用反相制备液相色谱结合吸附树脂柱色谱和离子交换色谱方法 ,从甜橙种子的提取物中纯化制备了一种柠檬苦素类似物配糖体 ,经 NMR测定为奥巴叩酮配糖体。     

Comparative study of capillary electroendosmotic chromatography and electrically assisted gradient nano-liquid chromatography for the separation of peptides

Capillary electroendoendosmotic chromatography (CEC), being a hybrid of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and capillary electrophoresis, offers considerable changes to enhance column efficiency, speed of analysis and additional selectivity as compared to the parent methods. The analytes are driven by the electroendosmotic flow (EOF) and separated by surface-solute interactions as well as by differences in electromigration. In this paper on the separation of peptides on C18 reversed-phase and mixed-mode (sulphonic acid-n-alkyl) packings in CEC and electrically assisted reversed-phase gradient nano-LC are investigated. It is shown that mixed mode packings generate a higher EOF than reversed-phase packings that is scarcely dependent on the pH of the eluent. Applying a potential in gradient elution reversed-phase nano-LC of peptides shortens the analysis time as compared to separations without a potential. Electrically assisted reversed-phase gradient elution nano-LC is a powerful separation tool for analysis of tryptic digests. Peptides can be successfully resolved in acidic organic mobile phase at pH 2-3 with and without trifluoroacid as ion pairing reagent under isocratic conditions. It is demonstrated that CEC with mixed mode packing and an eluent of pH 2.3 with varying acetonitrile content can be applied to monitor impurities in a synthetic peptide.