Diastereochemical differentiation of β-amino acids using host-guest complexes studied by fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Host-guest complexes where tetraethyl resorcarene was the host molecule were used to study the stereoselectivity of diasteromeric pairs of di-endo- and di-exo-2,3-disubstituted norbornane and norbornene amino acids by ion-molecule reactions and collision-induced dissociation with electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR MS). Both methods showed stereoselectivity for the diastereomeric pairs. Particularly high selectivity was achieved for di-endo- and di-exo-2,3-disubstituted norbornane amino acids with ion-molecule reactions. Also, ab initio and hybrid density functional theory calculations were performed to study the different structures of the host-guest complexes. Hydrogen bonding was crucial for the calculated lowest energy structures, and sterical considerations satisfactorily explained the ion-molecule reaction results.     

Reactions of O−. with methyl benzoate: A negative ion chemical ionization and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance study

The reactions of O*- with methyl benzoate have been examined by the measurement of negative ion chemical ionization (NICI) mass spectra using a CI source, with confirmatory studies carried out on a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Reaction mechanisms have been elucidated using isotopically labeled esters. Nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl carbon and the aromatic ring were important reaction pathways. Nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl carbon was followed by the production of products (C6HsCO2- and CH3OCO2-) characteristic of radical, beta-fragmentation. Using 18O-labeled methyl benzoate, the SN2 reaction was found to account for a smaller percentage, 21(+/-1)%, of the benzoate product. Aromatic ring attack resulted in formation of [M + O - H]- and [M - 2H]*- ions. Although aryl hydrogens accounted for most H2*+ abstracted by O*-, evidence for abstraction of HarylH*+alkyl and HalkylH*+alkyl was also found. Although present at much lower abundance, dehydrobenzoate, dehydrophenoxy, and C7H6*- ([M - 2H - CO2]*-) radical anions were also observed. An Haryl/Halkyl exchange associated with formation of the benzoate anion was attributed to an Halkyl abstraction that occurred within the methanol/dehydrobenzoate ion-dipole complex. The [M - 2H]*-, dehydrobenzoate, dehydrophenoxy, and [M - 2H - CO2]*- ion signals were quenched by reaction with O2. Conditions required for production of O*- spectra under NICI conditions were also examined.     

A study of oxaliplatin–nucleobase interactions using ion trap electrospray mass spectrometry

Oxaliplatin is an important anti-cancer drug that has been approved for the treatment of colorectal cancer. It is known that oxaliplatin, like other Pt-based drugs, interacts with DNA to form cytotoxic Pt-DNA adducts that disrupt important biological processes such as DNA replication and protein synthesis. Linear ion trap electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was employed to study the interaction of oxaliplatin with DNA nucleobases. It was shown that oxaliplatin formed adducts with all four DNA nucleobases when present individually and in combination in solution. Multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry (MSⁿ) enabled the fragmentation pathways of each adduct to be established. In addition, proposed structures for each product ion were obtained from the MS data. When all four bases were present together with the drug at near-equal molar concentrations, adducts containing predominantly adenine and guanine were formed, confirming that the drug preferentially binds to these nucleobases. A large molar excess of drug was required to ensure the formation of cytosine and thymine adducts in the presence of adenine and guanine. Even with a large excess of oxaliplatin, only mono-adducts of these nucleobases were observed when all four nucleobases were present. Figure Schematic of a linear ion trap mass spectrometer being used to isolate the diadduct of guanine with oxaliplatin showing the characteristic isotope pattern due to ¹⁹⁴Pt, ¹⁹⁵Pt and ¹⁹⁶Pt.     

Sequence and modified group analysis on C-terminal modified analogs of endomorphin-2 using electrospray ionization-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer

In this paper, a series of C-terminal modified analogs of endomorphin-2 is investigated using ESI-FT-ICR-MS. Some b, y″, a, and internal ions are found in the CID spectra and slight mass differ- ences between the calculated and observed results are obtained. Moreover, if the C-terminal modified group is t-butyloxy, it can lose butene through McLafferty rearrangement. FT-ICR MS shows its power in peptide sequencing successfully helping us obtain the structure of peptide analogs.     

Gas phase ion molecule chemistry of tetracarbonyl (η5-cyclopentadienyl) vanadium by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance

The kinetics of the reactions between the CpV(CO)₄ molecule and its fragment cations and anions have been examined using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) techniques. With 25 eV electron impact ionization the fragment cations V⁺ and CpV(CO)_n=0–4⁺ react principally by charge exchange or by condensation with the parent neutral molecule. Rate constants for these pathways have been determined along with kinetic evidence for the existence of excited state cations. Some of the product cations show unexpected stability despite their large formal electron deficiency. Exchange of carbonyl ligands was also observed. Under 2.5 eV electron impact, only two anions are produced: CpV(CO)_n=2,3⁻, both of which are unreactive with the parent neutral.     

Electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometric analysis of the recombinant human macrophage colony stimulating factor β and derivatives

The potential of electrospray ionization (ESI) Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) to assist in the structural characterization of monomeric and dimeric derivatives of the macrophage colony stimulating factor beta (rhM-CSF beta) was assessed. Mass spectrometric analysis of the 49 kDa protein required the use of sustained off-resonance irradiation (SORI) in-trap cleanup to reduce adduction. High resolution mass spectra were acquired for a fully reduced and a fully S-cyanylated monomeric derivative (approximately 25 kDa). Mass accuracy for monomeric derivatives was better than 5 ppm, after applying a new calibration method (i.e., DeCAL) which eliminates space charge effects upon high accuracy mass measurements. This high mass accuracy allowed the direct determination of the exact number of incorporated cyanyl groups. Collisionally induced dissociation using SORI yielded b- and y-fragment ions within the N- and C-terminal regions for the monomeric derivatives, but obtaining information on other regions required proteolytic digestion, or potentially the use of alternative dissociation methods.     

Bioconversion of red ginseng saponins in the gastro-intestinal tract in vitro model studied by high-performance liquid chromatography–high resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

A high-performance liquid chromatography–high resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (HPLC–FTICR-MS) method was developed to investigate the metabolism of ginsenosides in in vitro models of the gastro-intestinal tract. The metabolites were identified by high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. Degradation and bioconversion routes of the different ginsenosides at acidic (gastric) conditions and in the presence of intestinal microbiota were elaborated. Besides hydrolysis (deglycosylation) also hydration reactions occurred at acidic conditions. The results illustrate the value of metabolite profiling by HPLC–FTICR-MS for understanding of the mechanisms in bioavailability of herbal drugs and their metabolites.     

Determination of 3,3′-Dichlorobenzidine and its degradation products in environmental samples with a small low-field Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer

3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine (DCB) and its degradation products, 3-chlorobenzidine (MCB) and benzidine, are of environmental concern because of their carcinogenic nature. The suitability of a small Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer for the analysis of these environmental contaminants in different types of matrices was explored. All the measurements were carried out by depositing the sample solution directly on a disk that was introduced into the mass spectrometer. This approach is very fast and simple because it requires no prior chromatographic separation or derivatization. Calibration curves determined by collecting 70-eV electron ionization mass spectra of neat samples yielded lower limits of detection of 29 and 17 pg (total amount on the solids probe) for DCB and benzidine, respectively (based on a signal to noise ratio of > or = 2:1), while chemical ionization with ammonia resulted in lower limits of detection of 21 pg for DCB and 9 pg for benzidine (total amount on the solids probe). FT-ICR analysis of sediments collected from Lake Macatawa (Holland, MI) verified the presence of DCB in this complex, environmentally significant sample matrix. Laboratory experiments designed to probe biodegradation and photodegradation pathways showed that DCB undergoes sequential dehalogenation to yield MCB and then benzidine under exposure to microorganisms and under simulated tropospheric solar radiation. The ability of the FT-ICR to determine elemental compositions of compounds introduced as described above was demonstrated for one of the degradation products.     

[M + Fe − 5H]2− peptide ion composition verified by Fourier transform mass spectrometry accurate mass and tandem mass spectrometry analyses

Previously, the unusual ion composition [M + Fe - 5H]2- had been proposed as the major species observed when a gamma-carboxy glutamate-containing glyco-peptide was analyzed with electrospray ionization in the negative ionization mode. The sequence assignment of this highly post-translationally modified peptide was based on the mass analysis using a quadrupole ion trap together with information from both Edman and DNA sequencing. Because there was little precedent for the loss of five protons from a ferric cationized peptide, we utilized Fourier transform mass spectrometry accurate mass and tandem mass spectrometry analyses to verify the peptide ion composition.     

Dephosphorylation of intact glycoprotein to greatly improve digestion efficiency coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometric analysis

Sialylation is essential for a variety of cellular functions. Herein, we used bovine fetuin with three potential N-linked glycosylation sites containing complex-type glycan structures, four potential O-linked glycosylation sites and six potential phosphorylation sites as a model compound to develop a highly-efficient digestion strategy for sialylated glycoproteins and efficient enrichment strategy for sialylated glycopeptides using titanium dioxide. The former according to the process of alkaline phosphatase digestion followed by tryptic digestion and then proteinase K digestion could greatly improve the enzymatic efficiency on fetuin, and the latter could obviously enhance the enrichment efficiency for multisialylated glycopeptides using phosphoric acid solution as elution buffer. The mass spectra of the enriched glycopeptides derived from fetuin reveal that several series of the ion clusters with mass difference of 291 Da correspond to the presence of multisialylated glycopeptides. In addition, the approach was applied to characterize the sialylated status of α2-macroglobulin and transferrin, respectively, from the sera of healthy subjects and sex- and age-matched patients with thyroid cancer, and their spectra indicate that the change in the amount of the glycoforms containing different number of sialic acid (SA) residues from one glycosylation site may be used to differentiate between healthy subjects and cancer cases.     

Structural characterization of ß-amyloid oligomer-aggregates by ion mobility mass spectrometry and electron spin resonance spectroscopy

Formation and accumulation of fibrillar plaques and aggregates of ß-amyloid peptide (Aß) in brain have been recognized as characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Oligomeric aggregates of Aß are considered critical intermediates leading to progressive neurodegeneration; however, molecular details of the oligomerization and aggregation pathway and the structures of Aß-oligomers are hitherto unclear. Using an in vitro fibril formation procedure of Aß(1–40), ß-amyloid aggregates were prepared and insoluble aggregates separated from soluble products by centrifugation. In this study, ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) was applied in combination with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) to the identification of the components of Aß-oligomers, and to their structural and topographical characterization. The formation of Aß-oligomers and aggregates was monitored by gel electrophoresis, and Aß-oligomer bands were identified by in-gel tryptic digestion and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) to consist predominantly of Aß(1–40) peptide. First, ion mobility-MS studies of soluble Aß-aggregates prepared by incubation for 5 days were performed on a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer and revealed (1) the presence of at least two different conformational states, and (2), the formation of Met-35 oxidized products. For estimation of the size of Aß-aggregates using EPR spectroscopy, a modified Aß(1–40) peptide containing an additional N-terminal cysteine residue was prepared, and a 3-(2-iodoacetamido)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-pyrrolidinyloxy radical spin label derivative (IPSL) was coupled by S-alkylation. The EPR spectra of the spin-labeled Cys-Aß(1–40) oligomers were matched with spectra simulations using a multi-component simulation strategy, resulting in complete agreement with the gel electrophoresis results.     

Formation and decompositions of chloride adduct ions, [M + Cl]−, in negative ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The ability to promote chloride-attachment ions of the form [M + Cl]- in negative ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) has been developed using chlorinated solvents such as chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. This approach expands the current capabilities of negative ion ESI-MS by enabling detection of analytes that lack acidic sites and thus exhibit weak [M - H]- signals. In contrast to the remote-site collision-induced dissociation (CID) often observed in positive ion ESI-MS/MS for alkali metal cation adducts, the decomposition of chloride adducts usually proceeds via competitive dissociations to form Cl-, which is not structurally informative, or [M - H]-. The latter can provide structural information via consecutive decompositions. For compounds having higher gas-phase acidities than HCl, a low CID collision energy can promote the formation of [M - H]-, whereas for the majority of compounds with lower gas phase acidities than HCl, higher collision energies generally improve the relative yield of [M- H] . Because chloride attachment occurs primarily at electrophilic hydrogens, the daughter ion ratio, Cl-/[M - H]-, depends primarily upon the difference in gas phase acidity between the analyte molecule and HCl. At higher collision energies, entropic factors take on increased importance in determining the product ratio. The difference between the deltaS(0) terms for formation of Cl and formation of [M - H]- has been estimated for a series of substituted phenols and a series of acetic acid analogs. Finally, a novel neutral loss of CH3Cl from glycerophosphocholine and from ganglioside GM3 methyl ester is reported.     

A study of peptide—Peptide interactions using MALDI ion mobility o-TOF and ESI mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization ion mobility coupled to orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-IM-oTOF MS) is evaluated as a tool for studying non-covalent complex (NCX) formation between peptides. The NCX formed between dynorphin 1-7 and Mini Gastrin I is used as a model system for comparison to previous MALDI experiments (Woods, A. S.; Huestis, M. A. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2001, 12, 88-96). The dynorphin 1-7/Mini Gastrin I complex is stable after more than a ms drift time through the He filled mobility cell. Furthermore, the effects of solution pH on NCX ion signal intensity is measured both by MALDI-IM-MS analysis and by nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry. When compared to the previous MALDI study this work shows that all three techniques give similar results. In addition, fragmentation can be observed from of the non-covalent complex parent ion that occurs prior to TOF mass analysis but after mobility separation, thus providing NCX composition information.     

Site-specifically cleavage of oxidized insulin B chain with Zn（Ⅱ） ion studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry investigation showed that the binding sites of Zn^2＋ with oxidized insulin B chain are His 5, His 10, and Arg 22, which lead to the selective cleavages of the peptide bonds at Ash 3- Gin 4, His 5-Leu 6, Gly 8-Ser 9, and Glu 21-Arg 22 of oxidized insulin B chain.     

Identification of α- and β-hydroxy acid containing cyclodepsipeptides in natural peptide mixtures using negative ion mass spectrometry

Natural peptide libraries often contain cyclodepsipeptides containing α- or β-hydroxy residues. Extracts of fungal hyphae of Isaria yield a microheterogenous cyclodepsipeptide mixture in which two classes of molecules can be identified by mass spectral fragmentation of negative ions. In the case of isaridins, which contain an α-hydroxy residue and a β-amino acid residue, a characteristic product ion corresponding to a neutral loss of 72 Da is obtained. In addition, neutral loss of water followed by a 72 Da loss is also observed. Two distinct modes of fragmentation rationalize the observed product ion distribution. The neutral loss of 72 Da has also been obtained for a roseotoxin component, which is also an α-hydroxy residue containing cyclodepsipeptide. In the case of isariins, which contain a β-hydroxy acid residue, ring opening and subsequent loss of the terminal residue as an unsaturated ketene fragment, rationalizes the observed product ion formation. Fragmentation of negative ions provide characteristic neutral losses, which are diagnostic of the presence of α-hydroxy or β-hydroxy residues.     

Reactions of aminoguanidine with α-dicarbonyl compounds studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Aminoguanidine possesses extensive pharmacological properties. This drug is recognized as a powerful α-dicarbonyl scavenger. In order to better elucidate the reactivity of aminoguanidine with α-dicarbonyls, aminoguanidine was reacted with several aldehydic and diketonic α-dicarbonyls. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is a suitable technique to study chemical and biochemical processes, and was selected for the purpose. In aminoguanidine reactions, triazines were detected and, other compounds that have never been reported before were identified. Triazine precursor forms were detected, namely tetrahydrotriazines and singly dehydrated tetrahydrotriazines. Moreover, species with bicyclic ring structures, and dehydrated forms, were also identified in aminoguanidine reactions. These species appear to result from tetrahydrotriazines and triazines reactions with one dicarbonyl molecule. Experiments revealed that these bicyclic species, in particular the ones resulting from triazines reactivity, could exist in solution, since they were both identified in the reactions of aminoguanidine and of a selected triazine with the dicarbonyls studied. The results obtained, regarding aminoguanidine/triazines reactivities, appear to support the capability of triazines to condensate and form polycyclic ring structures, and also to support literature mechanistic data for dihydroimidazotriazines formation via dihydroxyimidazolidine-triazines. The data obtained in this study may prove to be valuable to complement solution information, concerning the reactivity of amines with α-dicarbonyls, in particular.     

In-spray supercharging of intact proteins by capillary electrophoresis–electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry using sheath liquid interface

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) is a suitable technique for the analysis of intact proteins. The main configuration to realize this coupling is the sheath liquid interface, which is characterized by the addition of a make-up liquid providing the electric contact as well as the appropriate flow and solvent composition for optimal ionization and evaporation. One main advantage of this interface is that the composition of the sheath liquid can be tuned to modify the ionization without affecting CE selectivity and efficiency. In the case of protein ionization, this feature is particularly interesting to modulate their charge-state distribution (CSD), while keeping the separation performance unchanged.     

Interactions of ginsenosides with DNA duplexes： A study by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and UV absorption spectroscopy

The non-covalent complexes of duplexes DNA and 9 ginsenosides（1 aglycone and 8 glycosides） were investigated using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry（ESI-MS） in the gas phase. The results of relative binding affinities in negative ion mode revealed that several factors impact on the duplexbinding properties of ginsenosides. Glycosylations of 20（S）-protopanaxadiol ginsenosides at the position C-20 and 20（S）-protopanaxatriol classification at the position C-6 enhanced the fraction of bound DNA sharply. A rhamnose moiety shows little lower binding intensities than glucose at the same position.Ginsenosides of 20（S）-protopanaxatriol result in subtle higher binding affinities toward the duplex DNA than 20（S）-protopanaxadiol family. However, glycosylation with two sugar moieties does not show a higher binding affinity than with only one moiety. The collision-induced dissociation experimental data demonstrate the gas-phase stability and fragmentation patterns of the ginsenoside/DNA complexes are related to the glycoside number. Positive ion ESI mass spectra of the complexes were also recorded. The result of ESI-MS suggests that hydrogen bonds are the dominate interaction between ginsenosides and DNA. Similar results were obtained in solution-phase by UV spectroscopy, which exhibit a hyperchromism and blue-shift effect when DNA solution was titrated by individual ginsenoside.     

Analytical determination of nicotine in tobacco leaves by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A preliminary investigation using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to analyze the nicotine contained in tobacco leaves was carried out. Nicotine is an alkaloid and tobacco leaves was extracted with methanol and determined by GC–MS. The detection limit for nicotine was at the ppm level for non selective monitoring and the nanogram level for selective detection. This is a simple chromatography–mass spectrometry method for the analysis of nicotine in tobacco leave. Compared to other currently utilized methods for the detection of nicotine in tobacco leaves, the GC–MS provided advantages of high sensitivity, nicotine specific detection and lower instrumentation cost.