Unfolding of proteins monitored by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry: a comparison of positive and negative ion modes

Electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) in both the positive and negative ion mode has been used to study protein unfolding transitions of lysozyme, cytochrome c (cyt c), and ubiquitin in solution. As expected, ESI of unfolded lysozyme leads to the formation of substantially higher charge states than the tightly folded protein in both modes of operation. Surprisingly, the acid-induced unfolding of cyt c as well as the acid and the base-induced unfolding of ubiquitin show different behavior: In these three cases protein unfolding only leads to marginal changes in the negative ion charge state distributions, whereas in the positive ion mode pronounced shifts to higher charge states are observed. This shows that ESI MS in the negative ion mode as a method for probing conformational changes of proteins in solution should be treated with caution. The data presented in this work provide further evidence that the conformation of a protein in solution not its charge state is the predominant factor for determining the ESI charge state distribution in the positive ion mode. Furthermore, these data support the hypothesis of a recent study (Konermann and Douglas, Biochemistry 1997, 36, 12296–12302) which suggested that ESI in the positive ion mode is not sensitive to changes in the secondary structure of proteins but only to changes in the tertiary structure.     

Separation of leucine and isoleucine by electrospray ionization-high field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry

An electrospray ionization (ESI) source was used to generate gas-phase molecular anions of the amino acids leucine and isoleucine ((M–H)⁻; m/z −130), which were separated by high- field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) and detected by quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS). This combination of ESI-FAIMS-MS enabled selective determination of either amino acid in mixtures that contained at least a 625-fold excess of the other. Comparisons with conventional ESI-MS showed a 50-fold improvement in the signal to background ratio for a 1 μM solution of leucine.     

Analysis of acidic drugs in the effluents of sewage treatment plants using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Azaspiracid poisoning (AZP) is a new human toxic syndrome that is caused by the consumption of shellfish that have been feeding on harmful marine microalgae. A liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) method has been developed for the determination of the three most prevalent toxins, azaspiracid (AZA1), 8-methylazaspiracid (AZA2) and 22-demethylazaspiracid (AZA3) as well as the isomeric hydroxylated analogues, AZA4 and AZA5. Separation of five azaspiracids was achieved on a C₁₈ column (Luna-2, 150×2 mm, 5 μm) with isocratic elution using acetonitrile–water containing trifluoroacetic acid and ammonium acetate as eluent modifiers. Using an electrospray ionisation (ESI) source with an ion-trap mass spectrometer, the spectra showed the protonated molecules, [M+H]⁺, with most major product ions due to the sequential loss of two water molecules. A characteristic fragmentation pathway that was observed in each azaspiracid was due to the cleavage of the A-ring at C₉–C₁₀ for each toxin. It was possible to select unique ion combinations to distinguish between the isomeric azaspiracids, AZA4 and AZA5. Highly sensitive LC–MS³ analytical methods were compared and the detection limits were 5–40 pg on-column. Linear calibrations were obtained for AZA1 in shellfish in the range 0.05–1.00 μg/ml (r²=0.9974) and good reproducibility was observed with a relative standard deviation (%RSD) of 1.8 for 0.9 μg AZA1/ml (n=5). The %RSD values for the minor toxins, AZA4 and AZA5, using LC–MS³ (A-ring fragmentation) were 12.3 and 8.1 (0.02 μg/ml; n=7), respectively. The selectivity of toxin determination was enhanced using LC–MS–MS with high energy WideBand activation.     

Unsuitability of 12C60 as a standard of atomic weight

A critical discussion is given of the suggestion by Dougherty et al. (J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom.1994, 5, 120) that the ¹²C₆₀ molecule replace the ¹²C atom as the primary standard of atomic mass. Adoption of the proposed standard would require that the unified atomic weight/mass scale, finally achieved with much difficulty in 1960, be abandoned without demonstrable benefit. Furthermore, the proposed standard has a molecular mass that is inherently ambiguous at a level that makes it unacceptable for that purpose.     

Determination and identification of malathion, ethion and dichlorovos using ion mobility spectrometry

Positive ion mobility spectra of different organophosphorus pesticides such as malathion (s-(1,2-dicarb-ethoxyethyl) o,o-dimethyl dithiophosphate), ethion (o,o,o′,o′-tetraethyl s,s′-methylene bis(phosphorodithioate)) and dichlorovos (2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate) have been studied in air at ambient pressure using ion mobility spectrometry method with ⁶³Ni ionization source. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were 1.0 × 10⁻⁹, 1.0 × 10⁻⁹ and 5.0 × 10⁻⁹ g for malathion, ethion and dichlorovos, respectively. The working range of these compounds was about three orders of magnitude and the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) of repeatability at the 5 μg ml⁻¹ level were all below 15%. Furthermore, in this study, the influences of IMS cell temperature on the ion mobility spectra of these compounds were investigated.     

The interactions of sorbates with gallosilicates and alkali-metal exchanged gallosilicates

Structures, energetics and vibrational frequencies of the interaction of adsorbates with H-aluminosilicates (H-AlZ), H-gallosilicates (H-GaZ), alkali-metal exchanged aluminosilicates (X-AlZ) and alkali-metal exchanged gallosilicates (X-GaZ), where X being Li, Na, or K, have been carried out at B3LYP and HF levels of theory with 6-31G(d) as the basis set. The charge compensating alkali-metal ions can affect the catalytically active site (Si–O–T where T=Al or Ga) by weakening the Si–O, Al–O, and Ga–O bonds as compared to their anionic frameworks. Comparing the net stabilization energies, ΔE_NSE, of the naked alkali-metal/H₂O adducts with those of the alkali-metal exchanged zeolite/H₂O systems, the latter amounts only to about 50% of the former, which is partly due to the destabilizing role of the negative zeolitic oxygen frameworks surrounding the cations. The interaction of sorbates with the alkali-metal exchanged gallosilicates can be employed to probe the field strength inside the catalytic frameworks as indicated by the plot of the binding energy, ΔE, versus 1/R_X–Ow², with R_(X–Ow) being the distance between the cationic nucleus and the oxygen atom of the adsorbate. The IR spectra of H₂O adsorbed on Na-AlZ are calculated to be 3584, 3651, and 1686 cm⁻¹. The obtained results are in excellent agreement with the very recent experimental IR spectra of water adsorbed on Na-ZSM-5 of Zecchina et al. (J. Phys. Chem., 100 (1996) 16 484). Other important features, i.e. the correlation between Δν_OH and, ΔE, R_(X–Ow), and 1/R_X–Ow², cationic size, demonstrate that the interactions of sorbates with alkali-metal exchanged gallosilicates are well approximated by electrostatic contribution.     

Simultaneous determination of catecholamines by ion chromatography with direct conductivity detection

A simple method for simultaneous determination of three catecholamines using ion chromatography (IC) with direct conductivity detection (CD) based on the ionization of catecholamines in acidic medium without chemical suppression is developed in the present paper. The method could be used for the determination of these catecholamines in pharmaceutical preparations for the purpose of drug quality control. The recovery of catecholamines was more than 97% (n=3) and the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) (n=11) was less than 2.1%. In a single chromatographic run, norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E) and dopamine (DA) can be determined in less than 10 min. The detection limits were found to be 0.001 μg/ml for NE, 0.01 μg/ml for E and DA respectively. Linear ranges were 0.01–50 μg/ml for NE (r²=0.9998), 0.1–50 μg/ml for E (r²=0.9995) and DA (r²=0.9999), respectively.     

New chiral Schiff base–Cu(II) complexes as cyclopropanation catalysts

A series of chiral Schiff base ligands 1–4, derived from (1R,2S)-(+)-cis-1-amino-2-indanol and other chiral amines with substituted salycilaldehydes were synthesized and transformed to the corresponding Cu(II) complexes. Molecular structures of six Cu(II) complexes were determined by X-ray crystallographic studies. The structures show the metal ion in a distorted square planar geometry with dimeric or monomeric structures, depending on the ligand denticity. The potential use of these complexes in asymmetric Cyclopropanation was explored.     

Fluorimetric determination of aminoglycoside antibiotics using lanthanide probe ion spectroscopy

The application of probe ion fluorimetry has succeeded in the microdetermination of six aminoglycoside antibiotics: neomycin, streptomycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin and kanamycin as sulfate salts in pure form and in some pharmaceutical preparations. The method is based on the reaction of Eu³⁺ ions with aminoglycosides through amino and hydroxy groups. Such interactions enhance the intensity of the 616 nm fluorescence emission of the Eu³⁺ ion. The fluorescence at 592 nm comes from a non-hypersensitive transition and is not affected by the ligand which is bound to the probe ions. The intensity ratio R, defined as I₅₉₂/I₆₁₆ was used to determine the amount of free and bound europium ions. A linear relationship between bound europium ions and aminoglycoside was found within the concentration ranges 20–100 ppm for neomycin, 5–60 ppm for streptomycin, and 10–70 ppm for gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, and kanamycin as sulfate salts. The percentage recoveries ranged from 99.22 to 101.07, with standard deviations ranging from ± 1.5 to ± 4.38. The relative stability constants ranged from 5 × 10³ to 2 × 10⁴. The optimum reaction conditions were studied and the results obtained compared favourably with the fluorimetric method using fluorescmine reagent.     

Leaving group and gas phase neighboring group effects in the side chain losses from protonated serine and its derivatives

The gas phase fragmentation reactions of protonated serine and its YNHCH(CH₂X)CO₂H derivatives, β-chloroalanine, S-methyl cysteine, O-methyl serine, and O-phosphoserine, as well as the corresponding N-acetyl model peptides have been examined via electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). In particular, the competition between losses from the side chain and the combined loss of H₂O and CO from the C-terminal carboxyl group of the amino acids or H₂O or CH₂CO from the N-acetyl model peptides are compared. In this manner the effect of the leaving group (Y = H or CH₃CO, vary X) or of the neighboring group can be examined. It was found that the amount of HX lost from the side chain increases with the proton affinity of X [OP(O)(OH)₂ > OCH₃ ≈ OH > Cl]. The ion due to the side chain loss of H₂O from the model peptide N-acetyl serine is more abundant than that from protonated serine, suggesting that the N-acetyl group is a better neighboring group than the amino group. Ab initio calculations at the MP2(FC)/6-31G*//HF/6-31G* level of theory suggest that this effect is due to the transition state barrier for water loss from protonated N-acetyl serine being lower than that for protonated serine. The mechanism for side chain loss has been examined using MS³ tandem mass spectrometry, independent synthesis of proposed product ion structures combined with MS/MS, and hydrogen/deuterium exchange. Neighboring group rather than cis 1,2 elimination processes dominate in all cases. In particular, the loss of H₃PO₄ from O-phosphoserine and N-acetyl O-phosphoserine is shown to yield a 3-membered aziridine ring and 5-membered oxazoline ring, respectively, and not the dehydroalanine moiety. This is in contrast to results presented by DeGnore and Qin (J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 1998, 9, 1175–1188) for the loss of H₃PO₄ from larger peptides, where dehydroalanine was observed. Alternate mechanisms to cis 1,2 elimination, for the formation of dehydroalanine in larger phosphoserine or phosphothreonine containing peptides, are proposed.     

Determination of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid in human urine by capillary electrophoresis with indirect UV detection and confirmation with electrospray ionization ion-trap mass spectrometry

γ-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), a minor metabolite or precursor of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acts as a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator via binding to GABA receptors and to specific presynaptic GHB receptors. Based upon the stimulatory effects, GHB is widely abused. Thus, there is great interest in monitoring GHB in body fluids and tissues. We have developed an assay for urinary GHB that is based upon liquid–liquid extraction and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with indirect UV absorption detection. The background electrolyte is composed of 4 mM nicotinic acid (compound for indirect detection), 3 mM spermine (reversal of electroosmosis) and histidine (added to reach a pH of 6.2). Having a 50 μm I.D. capillary of 40 cm effective length, 1-octanesulfonic acid as internal standard, solute detection at 214 nm and a diluted urine with a conductivity of 2.4 mS/cm, GHB concentrations ≥2 μg/ml can be detected. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) were determined to be dependent on urine concentration and varied between 2–24 and 5–60 μg/ml, respectively. Data obtained suggest that LOD and LOQ (both in μg/ml) can be estimated with the relationships 0.83 κ and 2.1 κ, respectively, where κ is the conductivity of the urine in mS/cm. The assay was successfully applied to urines collected after administration of 25 mg sodium GHB/kg body mass. Negative electrospray ionization ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry was used to confirm the presence of GHB in the urinary extract via selected reaction monitoring of the m/z 103.1→m/z 85.1 precursor–product ion transition. Independent of urine concentration, this approach meets the urinary cut-off level of 10 μg/ml that is required for recognition of the presence of exogenous GHB. Furthermore, data obtained with injection of plain or diluted urine indicate that CZE could be used to rapidly recognize GHB amounts (in μg/ml) that are ≥ 4 κ.     

Micelle-vesicle transition of oleyldimethylamine oxide in water

We studied the effects of the degree of ionization() and the surfactant concentration (C_d) on the micelle–vesicle transition in salt-free oleyldimethylamine oxide (OlDMAO) aqueous solutions by the dynamic light scattering (DLS), the hydrogen ion titration, the small angle neutron scattering (SANS), the electrophoretic light scattering (ELS) and viscoelastic measurements. From the study of ionization effects, the micelle–vesicle transition was recognized as a change of aggregate size by the DLS measurement; however, the micelle–vesicle transition was not detected both in the ELS measurement and the hydrogen ion titration, suggesting that the electric properties of the worm-like micelles and the vesicles are very similar despite a large difference of shapes between them. From the results of the SANS, the DLS and the viscosity measurements, it was suggested that a concentration-dependent micelle–vesicle transition took place around C_p = 10 mmol kg⁻¹ for the solutions at = 0.5. In the concentration-range 10 mmol kg⁻¹ < C_d < 150 mmol kg⁻¹, the micelles and the vesicles coexisted. In the concentration region (C_d = 10–50 mmol kg⁻¹), the vesicle size increased with the surfactant concentration.     

Using electrospray-assisted pyrolysis ionization/mass spectrometry for the rapid characterization of trace polar components in crude oil, amber, humic substances, and rubber samples

We describe the use of electrospray-assisted pyrolysis ionization/mass spectrometry (ESA-Py/MS) to selectively ionize trace polar compounds that coexist with large amounts of nonpolar hydrocarbons in crude oil, amber, humic substances, and rubber samples. Samples of different origins are distinguished rapidly by their positive ion ESA-Py mass spectra without prior separation or chemical pretreatment. During ESA-Py analysis, the samples in their solid or liquid states were pyrolyzed at 590, 630 or 940 degrees C using a commercial Curie-point pyrolysis probe. The gaseous pyrolysates were transferred into a glass reaction cell. The polar compounds (M) in the pyrolysates were then ionized by electrospray ionization (ESI), yielding protonated molecules (MH+). Although the major components of the pyrolysates are nonpolar hydrocarbons, their lack of functional groups that can receive a proton in the ESA-Py source results in no hydrocarbon ion signals being produced; thus, the positive ions detected in ESA-Py mass spectra all result from trace polar components in the pyrolysates.     

Calculation of the surface charge and potential and of the structural component of disjoining pressure in an interlayer in KCl solutions between glass samples

The dependence of the Stern potential, ψ₁, of glass samples on the distance between these, H, has been theoretically calculated, while taking into account the Stern isotherm and the electroneutrality equation. Comparison of the theoretical dependences ψ₁(C)_H→∞ with those previously experimentally obtained enables one to calculate the energy of adsorption of OH ions on glass and, further, the dependence ψ₁(H). It has been shown that for pH 4–6 and C_KCl = 10^-2-10^-5 mol/L, the value of ψ₁ practically does not depend on H. The result obtained was used to calculate theoretically the ionic-electrostatic forces and to compute (from the experimental values of the interaction forces) structural forces U_s(H). The dependence thus obtained, U_s(H), is of exponential character.     

Glory and thresholds effects in H+D2 reactive angular scattering

We analyse H+D₂ reactive angular scattering using the S-matrix elements obtained by Aoiz et al. and Althorpe et al. Enhancement of small angle scattering in the v^′=3←v=0 H+D₂ delayed reaction is attributed to a glory effect caused by threshold resonances in the v=3 vibrationally adiabatic channel. The oscillatory structures in the reactive angular distributions are shown to be of nearside–farside (NP) origin and are likely to arise from capture in a number of relatively short-lived barrier Regge states at large angular momenta. Padé reconstruction of the reactive matrix element is discussed in detail.     

Ionization of NF3 by electron impact

The ionization and dissociative ionization of NF₃ by electron impact has been measured by Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS). The total ionization cross-section rises to a maximum value of 2.4±0.4×10⁻¹⁶ cm² at 140 eV. Estimates of the total single ionization cross-section using ab initio energies with the binary encounter Bethe (BEB) [Y.K. Kim, M.E. Rudd, Phys. Rev. A 50 (1994) 3594] or Deutsch–Märk [Int. J. Mass Spec. 197 (2000) 37] models are roughly twice the measured values. The partial cross-sections creating NF_x⁺ (x=0, 1, 2, 3), F⁺, and NF_x²⁺ (x=1, 2, 3) are reported. Differences between the FTMS results and quadrupole data and fast atom beam results of Tarnovsky et al. [Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Processes 133 (1994) 175] are discussed.     

硫基离子液体电解质拓宽量子点敏化太阳能电池的应用温度范围

制备了1-甲基-3-丙基咪唑硫离子液体电解质,并应用在量子点敏化太阳能电池中。通过优化S和Na₂S的浓度,电解质的电导率在25℃下达到了12.96 mS·cm^-1。差示扫描量热法分析表明离子液体电解质的玻璃化转变温度为-85℃。采用该电解质的量子点敏化太阳能电池在25℃下达到了3.03%的光电转化效率(η),与采用水基电解质的电池的效率3.34%接近。由于本文中的离子液体电解质具有低玻璃化转变温度和不易挥发的优点,采用离子液体电解质的量子点敏化太阳能电池在-20℃ (η=2.32%)及80℃ (η=1.90%)的温度下表现出了比水基电解质优异的光电转化性能。     

Correlation of the absolute conformation of sec alcohols derived from macrocyclic lactones of resorcylic acid and their stereoselective transacetylation in organic solvents by Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase

Transacetylation of diastereomeric pairs of sec. alcohols, derived from macrocyclic lactones of resorcylic acid; 7,β-trans-zearalenols (1,2, full names., (3S,7R and 3S,7S) trans- 3,4,5,6,9,10-octahydro-7,14,16-trihydroxy-3-methyl-1H-2-benzoxacyclotetradecine-1-ones), 7,β-cis-zearalenols (5,6),and 7,β-zearanols (9,10,full names., (3S,7R and 3S,7S) 3,4,5,6,9,10,11,12-decahydro-714,16-trihydroxy-3-methyl-1H-2-benzoxacyclotetradecine-1-ones) by vinylacetate, catalysed by Pseudomonas sp. and Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase in n-heptane and acetonitrile has been studied. It is highly stereoselective; diastereomeric excess of 7β-O-acetates was usually near 100%. K_M, V_max and specificity constant V_max/K_M do not significantly differ for 7β-stereoisomers 2, 6 and 10. However, they notably change on going from n-heptane to acetonitrile, and the specificity constant drops by factor ca 10-100. The enzyme-bound water is assumed to be partly released in the latter solvent, thus diminishing the interaction with the hydrophilic region of the substrates, and affecting the activity. but not the stereoselectivity of lipases. To correlate the structural and conformational properties of these substrates with unexpectedly high diastereoselectivity of enzymatic transacetylation, the solid state structures of 7β-isomers 2, 4, 6, 10 and 12 have been determined by X-ray analysis. The X-ray structure analysis has revealed that the 7 and 7β isomers possess notably different and in some cases almost mirror-image related absolute conformations around the reactive center. The importance of conformational chirality in the hydrophobic region of these substrates for stereoselection in transacylation by microbial lipases is discussed.     

Studies in relation to biosynthesis—XXI Rosenonolactone and gibberellic acid

The biosyntheses of rosenonolactone in Trichothecium roseum and of gibberellic acid in Gibberella fujikuroi have been studied by feeding experiments with CH₃¹⁴CO₂Na and (2-¹⁴C)-mevalonic lactone. Preliminary accounts^1–3 of this work have been published.