Sequencing Lys-N Proteolytic Peptides by ESI and MALDI Tandem Mass Spectrometry

In this study, we explored the MS/MS behavior of various synthetic peptides that possess a lysine residue at the N-terminal position. These peptides were designed to mimic peptides produced upon proteolysis by the Lys-N enzyme, a metalloendopeptidase issued from a Japanese fungus Grifola frondosa that was recently investigated in proteomic studies as an alternative to trypsin digestion, as a specific cleavage at the amide X-Lys chain is obtained that provides N-terminal lysine peptide fragments. In contrast to tryptic peptides exhibiting a lysine or arginine residue solely at the C-terminal position, and are thus devoid of such basic amino acids within the sequence, these Lys-N proteolytic peptides can contain the highly basic arginine residue anywhere within the peptide chain. The fragmentation patterns of such sequences with the ESI-QqTOF and MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometers commonly used in proteomic bottom-up experiments were investigated.     

Quantification of Tacrolimus in Human Skin Samples and Ointment by LC-MS

A sensitive and simple liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed to determine the immunosuppressant tacrolimus in human skin samples after treatment with the commercially available ointment. Utilizing diffusion cell experiments according to Franz, human skin samples were treated with ointment containing tacrolimus and the extraction procedure of the drug was optimized. The analytical assay was performed using an LC system consisting of a reversed phase C₁₈ column and an isocratic mobile phase, coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The detection was performed in the positive selected ion monitoring mode. Mycophenolate mofetil was used as internal standard to control the stability of the electrospray ionization. The calibration curve was linear for tacrolimus over the range of 5–1,000 ng mL^?1 (average correlation coefficient of r ² = 0.9941) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 2 ng mL^?1, with a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 5 ng mL^?1 and with a precision of 8.70%. The analytical assay described in this paper was successfully applied in order to quantify tacrolimus in human skin samples as well as in the commercially available ointment.     

气相色谱法同时检测土壤中11种农药残留

本文采用正己烷-乙酸乙酯混合溶剂对土壤样品中的多种农药进行超声提取,提取液经弗洛里硅土小柱净化后,采用气相色谱-电子捕获检测法(GC-ECD)进行检测,建立了土壤中多种农药残留同时检测的新方法。该方法对11种农药的线性范围为2.5~200μg/L,检出限为0.21~2.13μg/L,加标回收率为79.8%~116%。该方法操作简单、净化效果好、准确度和精密度高,能满足土壤中多种不同类型农药的同时快速测定。     

Reducing Spatial Heterogeneity of MALDI Samples with Marangoni Flows During Sample Preparation

This work demonstrates a method to prepare homogeneous distributions of analytes to improve data reproducibility in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS). Natural-air drying processes normally result in unwanted heterogeneous spatial distributions of analytes in MALDI crystals and make quantitative analysis difficult. This study demonstrates that inducing Marangoni flows within drying droplets can significantly reduce the heterogeneity problem. The Marangoni flows are accelerated by changing substrate temperatures to create temperature gradients across droplets. Such hydrodynamic flows are analyzed semi-empirically. Using imaging mass spectrometry, changes of heterogeneity of molecules with the change of substrate temperature during drying processes are demonstrated. The observed heterogeneities of the biomolecules reduce as predicted Marangoni velocities increase. In comparison to conventional methods, drying droplets on a 5 °C substrate while keeping the surroundings at ambient conditions typically reduces the heterogeneity of biomolecular ions by 65%–80%. The observation suggests that decreasing substrate temperature during droplet drying processes is a simple and effective means to reduce analyte heterogeneity for quantitative applications.

Open image in new window

Graphical Abstract ?

     

Method for Screening and Quantification of Seven Phenothiazines in Whole Blood Samples by Non-Aqueous Capillary Electrophoresis

Seven phenothiazine derivatives (PHE) group were studied using non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis (NACE). The screening and quantification method for these drugs in blood was presented. Then the optimal medium for dissolution of the examined blood extracts was tested for. The precision of identification and quantification parameters comprised the ranges from 0.29 to 1.38 and from 1.21 to 9.15 % RSD, correspondingly. The detection limits were 0.08 for promazine and 0.15 g mL^–1 for the rest of drugs tested. The correlation coefficient of the method linearity was studied over the concentration range of 0.25–4.00 g mL^–1 and was higher than 0.996. Finally the proposed method was applied to two forensic blood samples and concentrations of the examined phenothiazines determined by HPLC and NACE methods were found to be comparable.     

Degree of Ionization in MALDI of Peptides: Thermal Explanation for the Gas-Phase Ion Formation

Degree of ionization (DI) in matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) was measured for five peptides using α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnanmic acid (CHCA) as the matrix. DIs were low 10(-4) for peptides and 10(-7) for CHCA. Total number of ions (i.e., peptide plus matrix) was the same regardless of peptides and their concentration, setting the number of gas-phase ions generated from a pure matrix as the upper limit to that of peptide ions. Positively charged cluster ions were too weak to support the ion formation via such ions. The total number of gas-phase ions generated by MALDI, and that from pure CHCA, was unaffected by the laser pulse energy, invalidating laser-induced ionization of matrix molecules as the mechanism for the primary ion formation. Instead, the excitation of matrix by laser is simply a way of supplying thermal energy to the sample. Accepting strong Coulomb attraction felt by cations in a solid sample, we propose three hypotheses for gas-phase peptide ion formation. In Hypothesis 1, they originate from the dielectrically screened peptide ions in the sample. In Hypothesis 2, the preformed peptide ions are released as part of neutral ion pairs, which generate gas-phase peptide ions via reaction with matrix-derived cations. In Hypothesis 3, neutral peptides released by ablation get protonated via reaction with matrix-derived cations.     

Disulfide Connectivity Analysis of Peptides Bearing Two Intramolecular Disulfide Bonds Using MALDI In-Source Decay

Disulfide connectivity in peptides bearing at least two intramolecular disulfide bonds is highly important for the structure and the biological activity of the peptides. In that context, analytical strategies allowing a characterization of the cysteine pairing are of prime interest for chemists, biochemists, and biologists. For that purpose, this study evaluates the potential of MALDI in-source decay (ISD) for characterizing cysteine pairs through the systematic analysis of identical peptides bearing two disulfide bonds, but not the same cysteine connectivity. Three different matrices have been tested in positive and/or in negative mode (1,5-DAN, 2-AB and 2-AA). As MALDI-ISD is known to partially reduce disulfide bonds, the data analysis of this study rests firstly on the deconvolution of the isotope pattern of the parent ions. Moreover, data analysis is also based on the formed fragment ions and their signal intensities. Results from MS/MS-experiments (MALDI-ISD-MS/MS) constitute the last reference for data interpretation. Owing to the combined use of different ISD-promoting matrices, cysteine connectivity identification could be performed on the considered peptides.

Open image in new window

Graphical Abstract ?

     

香豆素类新基质用于基质辅助激光解吸／电离飞行时间质谱对聚乙二醇的测定

首次以6种香豆素衍生物--3-氨基香豆素(3-AC)、3-羟基香豆素(3-HC)、3-羧基香豆素(3-CC)、4-甲基-7-羟基香豆素(4-M-7-HC)、3-乙酰氨基香豆素(3-AcAC)和3-苯基-7-乙酰氨基香豆素(3-ph-7-AcAC)为基质对聚乙二醇样品进行基质辅助激光解吸/电离飞行时间质谱(MALDI TOF-MS)分析.结果表明:3-AC、3-HC和3-CC均能有效解吸电离聚乙二醇样品,产生分辨率高、离子信号强、信噪比高的质谱图,不仅测定了聚乙二醇样品的数均相对分子质量、重均相对分子质量和聚合度分布,还能够准确地推测出样品的端基结构和重复单元,将为改善高分子合成反应条件和机理推导提供确凿依据.3-AC、3-HC和3-CC香豆素衍生物将为MALDI TOF-MS分析高分子聚合物提供新的基质选择.     

Separation and Quantification of Enkephalin and Vasopressin Related Peptides in Reversed-Phase Capillary Liquid Chromatography

A method for determination of some biologically active penta- and nona-peptides under isocratic conditions in capillary liquid chromatography was developed. Separation system consisting of XTerra C18 stationary phase and mobile phase composed of a mixture of acetonitrile with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and water with 0.1% TFA in the ratios 75/25 (v/v) and 85/15 (v/v) was suitable not only for a good resolution of enkephalin and vasopressin related peptides, respectively, but it also enabled separation of the respective biopeptides from other constituents of human urine. Calibration curves for the studied peptides were linear in the measured concentration range from 1.00 to 1.57×10^?2 mg mL^?1. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were in the range of units of μg mL^?1 and tens of μg mL^?1, respectively; slightly higher values were obtained for nonapeptides. Determination of certain biologically active peptides in urine can serve in future as a tool for diagnosis of various diseases, e.g. autism.     

Computational Quantification of Spot Tests by Image Scanning-A New Analytical Technique for Micro Samples

The benefits of spectrophotometric quantitative analysis and the small sample requirements of a spot test have been merged in this new methodology for metal analysis at the sub-micro level. A 1 µL sample is transferred to a suitable medium (TLC plate) with subsequent application of reagent(s) at the same spot; the color density of the resulting spot is then measured using a flatbed color scanner connected to a PC running specially developed software. Calibration data was collected for As, Hg, and Pb in 1–5 ppb range with a correlation co-efficient better than 0.9962. The method is especially suitable for precipitation systems where absorption spectroscopy fails.     

Absolute Quantification of Rifampicin by MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry Using Multiple TOF/TOF Events in a Single Laser Shot

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI IMS) allows for the visualization of molecular distributions within tissue sections. While providing excellent molecular specificity and spatial information, absolute quantification by MALDI IMS remains challenging. Especially in the low molecular weight region of the spectrum, analysis is complicated by matrix interferences and ionization suppression. Though tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) can be used to ensure chemical specificity and improve sensitivity by eliminating chemical noise, typical MALDI MS/MS modalities only scan for a single MS/MS event per laser shot. Herein, we describe TOF/TOF instrumentation that enables multiple fragmentation events to be performed in a single laser shot, allowing the intensity of the analyte to be referenced to the intensity of the internal standard in each laser shot while maintaining the benefits of MS/MS. This approach is illustrated by the quantitative analyses of rifampicin (RIF), an antibiotic used to treat tuberculosis, in pooled human plasma using rifapentine (RPT) as an internal standard. The results show greater than 4-fold improvements in relative standard deviation as well as improved coefficients of determination (R²) and accuracy (>93% quality controls, <9% relative errors). This technology is used as an imaging modality to measure absolute RIF concentrations in liver tissue from an animal dosed in vivo. Each microspot in the quantitative image measures the local RIF concentration in the tissue section, providing absolute pixel-to-pixel quantification from different tissue microenvironments. The average concentration determined by IMS is in agreement with the concentration determined by HPLC-MS/MS, showing a percent difference of 10.6%.

Open image in new window

Graphical Abstract ?

     

离心浇铸制样-X射线荧光光谱法测定钼铁中钼硅磷铜

为克服钼铁中元素的偏析,应用了离心浇铸工艺制成蘑菇状的片样供X射线荧光光谱法用,对制样的过程作了详细的叙述.为制作工作曲线用了5个国外内钼铁标准样品及3个内控标准样品,用同一钼铁样品制备6个片样,按试验条件分别进行钼、硅、磷、铜4元素的测定,并对方法的精密度进行了试验,测得相对标准偏差(n=6)在0.24%～5.41%之间.在分析4个钼铁试样时,所得上述4元素的测定值与用化学方法所测得结果一致.     

表面增强拉曼光谱结合乘子效应模型对血浆和药片中甲巯咪唑的定量检测

将表面增强拉曼散射(Surface-enhanced raman scattering,SERS)技术与乘子效应模型结合,采用2-巯基异烟酸作为内标,以银纳米颗粒为SERS增强基底,对血浆和药片样本中甲巯咪唑的进行准确的定量分析.实验结果表明,本方法对血浆样本中甲巯咪唑的平均相对预测误差为5.1％,检出限为32 nmol/L;对药片中甲巯咪唑的定量结果与LC-MS/MS方法基本一致,其加标回收率在93.3％ ～ 110.9％之间.     

Direct Quantification of Major and Trace Elements in Geological Samples by Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry with a Pulsed Glow Discharge

A method has been developed for the determination of 24 elements (As, B, Ce, Co, Dy, Fe, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Nb, Nd, P, Pr, Rb, S, Sb, Si, Sm, Th, Ti, and U) in ore samples by pulsed direct current glow discharge time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PGD-TOF-MS). Sample treatment consisted of pressing the powdered samples into 10?mm diameter aluminum tablets. Quantification was performed using relative sensitivity factors with iron as the normalization element. PGD-TOFMS has low spectral interferences and low limits of detection and provides the quantification of the wide range of elements with a single method instead of a combination of several techniques. The limits of detection of the designed method were in the range 2–4?×?10^?6 mass %, depending on the element. The designed procedure was validated by the analysis of standard reference materials. The obtained results showed adequate repeatability (6–9% relative standard deviation), demonstrating high efficiency of the glow discharge mass spectrometry for the direct analysis of geological samples. The designed method requires a minimal sample pretreatment and is applicable for the determination of wide range of elements of the periodic table (e.g., metals, nonmetals, and rare earth elements) in a single analytical procedure without sample dissolution with adequate accuracy, sensitivity, and repeatability. The designed approach may replace the complex techniques that are normally required for this task.     

比率型荧光探针结合先进校正模型用于环境水样中亚硝酸根离子的定量分析

将新型荧光光谱定量分析模型与比率型荧光探针2,3-二氨基萘相结合,发展了一种用于水溶液中亚硝酸根离子( NO-2)定量分析的新方法;并考察了本方法对含有散射物质和吸光物质的浑浊水样中NO-2进行直接定量分析的性能。结果表明,本方法对实际浑浊环境水样中NO-2的检出限和定量下限分别为1.9和5.8 nmol/L,其定量分析结果的回收率在90.8%~103%之间,与高效液相色谱-二极管阵列检测器联用仪的定量分析结果的回收率没有显著性差异。     

2-Aminobenzamide and 2-Aminobenzoic Acid as New MALDI Matrices Inducing Radical Mediated In-Source Decay of Peptides and Proteins

One of the mechanisms leading to MALDI in-source decay (MALDI ISD) is the transfer of hydrogen radicals to analytes upon laser irradiation. Analytes such as peptides or proteins may undergo ISD and this method can therefore be exploited for top-down sequencing. When performed on peptides, radical-induced ISD results in production of c- and z-ions, as also found in ETD and ECD activation. Here, we describe two new compounds which, when used as MALDI matrices, are able to efficiently induce ISD of peptides and proteins: 2-aminobenzamide and 2-aminobenzoic acid. In-source reduction of the disulfide bridge containing peptide Calcitonin further confirmed the radicalar mechanism of the ISD process. ISD of peptides led, in addition to c- and z-ions, to the generation of a-, x-, and y-ions both in positive and in negative ion modes. Finally, good sequence coverage was obtained for the sequencing of myoglobin (17 kDa protein), confirming the effectiveness of both 2-aminobenzamide and 2-aminobenzoic acid as MALDI ISD matrices.     

Quantification of Tricyclic and Nontricyclic Antidepressants in Spiked Plasma and Urine Samples Using Microextraction in Packed Syringe and Analysis by LC and GC-MS

In this paper, a highly selective Sudan IV molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized by surface molecular imprinting technique in combination with a sol?Cgel process using ??-aminopropyl triethoxysilane as functional monomer, tetraethoxysilane as cross-linker and activated silica gel as support material. The imprinted polymer was characterized by FT-IR spectra, scanning electron micrograph and adsorption experiments and it was exhibited good recognition and selective ability, offered a faster rate for the adsorption of Sudan IV. Using the imprinted material as sorbent, a solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography method for determination of trace Sudan IV was presented. The detection limit (S/N = 3) was 25.2 ng L^?1, and the RSD for five replicate was 2.86%. With a loading flow rate of 2.5 mL min^?1 for loading 30 mL, an enrichment factor of 104 was achieved. This method was applied for extraction and determination of chilli powder and duck egg samples with good recoveries ranging from 85.3 to 98.1%.     

光谱结合主成分分析和模糊聚类方法的样品聚类与识别

针对紫外光谱结合化学计量学方法快速测定渣油烃族组成模型适应性问题,对渣油光谱进行主成分分析,以主成分得分作为聚类的特征变量进行模糊聚类,建立了光谱结合主成分分析和模糊聚类方法的样品聚类与识别方法和识别,为光谱结合化学计量分析方法中构正模型的正确选择提供了依据。     

Structural Characterization and Absolute Quantification of Microcystin Peptides Using Collision-Induced and Ultraviolet Photo-Dissociation Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Microcystin (MC) peptides produced by cyanobacteria pose a hepatotoxic threat to human health upon ingestion from contaminated drinking water. While rapid MC identification and quantification in contaminated body fluids or tissue samples is important for patient treatment and outcomes, conventional immunoassay-based measurement strategies typically lack the specificity required for unambiguous determination of specific MC variants, whose toxicity can significantly vary depending on their structures. Furthermore, the unambiguous identification and accurate quantitation of MC variants using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS)-based methods can be limited due to a current lack of appropriate stable isotope-labeled internal standards. To address these limitations, we have systematically examined here the sequence and charge state dependence to the formation and absolute abundance of both “global” and “variant-specific” product ions from representative MC-LR, MC-YR, MC-RR, and MC-LA peptides, using higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD)-MS/MS, ion-trap collision-induced dissociation (CID)-MS/MS and CID-MS³, and 193 nm ultraviolet photodissociation (UPVD)-MS/MS. HCD-MS/MS was found to provide the greatest detection sensitivity for both global and variant-specific product ions in each of the MC variants, except for MC-YR where a variant-specific product uniquely formed via UPVD-MS/MS was observed with the greatest absolute abundance. A simple methodology for the preparation and characterization of ¹⁸O-stable isotope-labeled MC reference materials for use as internal standards was also developed. Finally, we have demonstrated the applicability of the methods developed herein for absolute quantification of MC-LR present in human urine samples, using capillary scale liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-high resolution / accurate mass spectrometry and HCD-MS/MS.

Open image in new window

Graphical abstract ?

     

Carbon Nanoparticles and Graphene Nanosheets as MALDI Matrices in Glycomics: a New Approach to Improve Glycan Profiling in Biological Samples

Glycomics continues to be a highly dynamic and interesting research area due to the need to comprehensively understand the biological attributes of glycosylation in many important biological functions such as the immune response, cell development, cell differentiation/adhesion, and host-pathogen interactions. Although matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) has proven to be suitable for glycomic profiling studies, there is a need for improved sensitivity in the detection of native glycans, which ionize inefficiently. In this study, we investigated the efficiencies of graphene nanosheets (GNs) and carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) as MALDI matrices and co-matrices in glycan profiling. Our results indicated an enhancement of signal intensity by several orders of magnitude upon using GNs and CNPs in MALDI analysis of N-glycans derived from a variety of biological samples. Interestingly, increasing the amounts of CNPs and GNs improved not only the signal intensities but also prompted in-source decay (ISD) fragmentations, which produced extensive glycosidic and cross-ring cleavages. Our results indicated that the extent of ISD fragmentation could be modulated by CNP and GN concentrations, to obtain MS² and pseudo-MS³ spectra. The results for glycan profiling in high salt solutions confirmed high salt-tolerance capacities for both CNPs and GNs. Finally, the results showed that by using CNPs and GNs as co-matrices, DHB crystal formation was more homogeneous which improved shot-to-shot reproducibility and sensitivity.

Open image in new window

Graphical Abstract ?