Fragmentation behavior of glycated peptides derived from D-glucose, D-fructose and D-ribose in tandem mass spectrometry

Nonenzymatic glycosylation (or glycation) is a common nonenzymatic side-chain specific sequence-independent posttranslational modification formed by the reaction of reducing carbohydrates with free amino groups. Thus, proteins can react with aldoses or ketoses to yield Amadori or Heynes compounds, respectively. Here, the fragmentation behavior of D-glucose and D-ribose-derived Amadori peptides as well as D-fructose-derived Heynes peptides were studied by collision-induced fragmentation (CID) after electrospray (ESI) or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS). All three sugar moieties displayed characteristic fragmentation patterns accompanying the parent and the fragment ions, which could be explained by consecutive losses of water and formaldehyde. Glucose-derived Amadori parent and fragment ions displayed losses of 18, 36, 54, 72, and 84 u at a characteristic intensity distribution compared with losses of 18, 36, 54, 72, 84, and 96 u for D-fructose-derived ions and losses of 18, 36, and 54 u for ribose-derived ions. Furthermore, each sugar moiety produced indicative lysine-derived immonium ions that were successfully used in a precursor ion scan analysis to identify Amadori peptides in a tryptic digest of bovine serum albumin (BSA) glycated with D-glucose. BSA was modified on lysine residues at positions 36, 160, 235, 256, 401, and 548.     

Fragmentation behavior of Amadori‐peptides obtained by non‐enzymatic glycosylation of lysine residues with ADP‐ribose in tandem mass spectrometry

Mono‐ and poly‐adenosine diphosphate (ADP)‐ribosylation are common post‐translational modifications incorporated by sequence‐specific enzymes at, predominantly, arginine, asparagine, glutamic acid or aspartic acid residues, whereas non‐enzymatic ADP‐ribosylation (glycation) modifies lysine and cysteine residues. These glycated proteins and peptides (Amadori‐compounds) are commonly found in organisms, but have so far not been investigated to any great degree. In this study, we have analyzed their fragmentation characteristics using different mass spectrometry (MS) techniques. In matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)‐MS, the ADP‐ribosyl group was cleaved, almost completely, at the pyrophosphate bond by in‐source decay. In contrast, this cleavage was very weak in electrospray ionization (ESI)‐MS. The same fragmentation site also dominated the MALDI‐PSD (post‐source decay) and ESI‐CID (collision‐induced dissociation) mass spectra. The remaining phospho‐ribosyl group (formed by the loss of adenosine monophosphate) was stable, providing a direct and reliable identification of the modification site via the b‐ and y‐ion series. Cleavage of the ADP‐ribose pyrophosphate bond under CID conditions gives access to both neutral loss (347.10 u) and precursor‐ion scans (m/z 348.08), and thereby permits the identification of ADP‐ribosylated peptides in complex mixtures with high sensitivity and specificity. With electron transfer dissociation (ETD), the ADP‐ribosyl group was stable, providing ADP‐ribosylated c‐ and z‐ions, and thus allowing reliable sequence analyses. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Desorption electrospray ionization ‐ orbitrap mass spectrometry of synthetic polymers and copolymers

Desorption ElectroSpray Ionization (DESI) ‐ Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry (MS) was evaluated as a new tool for the characterization of various industrial synthetic polymers (poly(ethylene glycol), poly(propylene glycol), poly(methylmethacrylate), poly(dimethylsiloxane)) and copolymers, with masses ranging from 500 g.mol⁻¹ up to more than 20 000 g.mol⁻¹. Satisfying results in terms of signal stability and sensitivity were obtained from hydrophobic surfaces (HTC Prosolia) with a mixture water/methanol (10/90) as spray solvent in the presence of sodium salt. Taking into account the formation of multiplied charged species by DESI‐MS, a strategy based on the use of a deconvolution software followed by the automatic assignment of the ions was described allowing the rapid determination of M_n, M_w and PDI values. DESI‐Orbitrap MS results were compared to those obtained from matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐ time‐of‐flight MS and gel permeation chromatography. An application of DESI‐Orbitrap MS for the detection and identification of polymers directly from cosmetics was described. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimal single‐embryo mass spectrometry fingerprinting

In pre‐implantation embryos, lipids play key roles in determining viability, cryopreservation and implantation properties, but often their analysis is analytically challenging because of the few picograms of analytes present in each of them. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI‐MS) allows obtaining individual phospholipid profiles of these microscopic organisms. This technique is sensitive enough to enable analysis of individual intact embryos and monitoring the changes in membrane lipid composition in the early stages of development serving as screening method for studies of biology and biotechnologies of reproduction. This article introduces an improved, more comprehensive MALDI‐MS lipid fingerprinting approach that considerably increases the lipid information obtained from a single embryo. Using bovine embryos as a biological model, we have also tested optimal sample storage and handling conditions before the MALDI‐MS analysis. Improved information at the molecular level is provided by the use of a binary matrix that enables phosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins, phosphatidylserines, phosphatidylinositols and phosphoethanolamines to be detected via MALDI(±)‐MS in both the positive and negative ion modes. An optimal MALDI‐MS protocol for lipidomic monitoring of a single intact embryo is therefore reported with potential applications in human and animal reproduction, cell development and stem cell research. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biotin α‐End‐Functionalized Gradient Glycopolymers Synthesized by RAFT Copolymerization

Biotinylated gradient glycopolymers have been synthesized via RAFT copolymerization of an acrylamide derivative of galactose with N‐acryloylmorpholine in the presence of a biotin CTA. The polymerization was controlled with a linear increase in molecular weights up to 80% conversion. Copolymer chains have a gradient microstructure with an increasing proportion of galactose units towards the ω chain end. The presence of the biotin ligand at the α end of the chains was confirmed by ¹H NMR and MALDI‐ToF MS. This strategy based on the use of a biotin‐CTA instead of a post‐polymerization labelling of the chains resulted in a high percentage of α‐functionalized chains (92–95%). Such α‐end‐functionalized glycopolymer chains may interact with streptavidin‐modified surfaces.

     

Effective detection of peptides containing cysteine sulfonic acid using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and laser desorption/ionization on porous silicon mass spectrometry

Cysteine sulfonic acid-containing peptides, being typical acidic peptides, exhibit low response in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. In this study, matrix conditions and the effect of diammonium hydrogencitrate (DAHC) as additive were investigated for ionization of cysteine sulfonic acid-containing peptides in MALDI. A matrix-free ionization method, desorption/ionization on porous silicon (DIOS), was also utilized to evaluate the effect of DAHC. When equimolar three-component mixtures of peptides carrying free cysteine, cysteine sulfonic acid, and carbamidomethyl cysteine were measured by MALDI using a common matrix, alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA), no signal corresponding to cysteine sulfonic acid-containing peptide could be observed in the mass spectrum. However, by addition of DAHC to CHCA, the peaks of cysteine sulfonic acid-containing peptides were successfully observed, as well as when using 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone (THAP) and 2,6-dihydroxyacetophenone with DAHC. In the DIOS mass spectra of these analytes, the use of DAHC also enhanced the peak intensity of the cysteine sulfonic acid-containing peptides. On the basis of studies with these model peptides, tryptic digests of oxidized peroxiredoxin 6 were examined as a complex peptide mixture by MALDI and DIOS. In MALDI, the peaks of cysteine sulfonic acid-containing peptides were observed when using THAP/DAHC as the matrix, but this was not so with CHCA. In DIOS, the signal from cysteine sulfonic acid-containing peptides was suppressed; however, the use of DAHC significantly enhanced the signal intensity with an increase in the number of observed peptides and increased signal-to-noise ratio in the DIOS spectra. The results show that DAHC in the matrix or on the DIOS chip decreases discrimination and suppression effects in addition to suppressing alkali-adduct ions, which leads to a beneficial effect on protonation of peptides containing cysteine sulfonic acid.     

Application of high‐resolution ESI and MALDI mass spectrometry to metabolite profiling of small interfering RNA duplex

We investigated the application of a high‐resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source and a matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectrometer to the metabolite profiling of a model small interfering RNA (siRNA) duplex TSR#34 and compared their functions and capabilities. TSR#34 duplex was incubated in human serum in vitro, and the duplex and its metabolites were then purified by ion exchange chromatography in order to remove the biological matrices. The fraction containing the siRNA duplex and its metabolites was collected and desalted and then subjected to high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with a reversed phase column. The siRNA and its metabolites were separated into single strands by elevated chromatographic temperature and analyzed using the ESI‐Orbitrap or the MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometer. Using this method, the 5' and/or 3' truncated metabolites of each strand were detected in the human serum samples. The ESI‐Orbitrap mass spectrometer enabled differentiation between two possible RNA‐based sequences, a monoisotopic molecular mass difference which was less than 2 Da, with an intrinsic mass resolving power. In‐source decay (ISD) analysis using a MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometer allowed the sequencing of the RNA metabolite with characteristic fragment ions, using 2,4‐dihydroxyacetophenone (2,4‐DHAP) as a matrix. The ESI‐Orbitrap mass spectrometer provided the highest mass accuracy and the benefit of on‐line coupling with HPLC for metabolite profiling. Meanwhile, the MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometer, in combination with 2,4‐DHAP, has the potential for the sequencing of RNA by ISD analysis. The combined use of these methods will be beneficial to characterize the metabolites of therapeutic siRNA compounds. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基质辅助激光解吸电离质谱和电喷雾电离质谱在辣根过氧化物酶糖肽结构分析中的应用

糖链结构的质谱解析是今后糖蛋白分析中的重要研究内容,其中完整糖肽的分析,由于可以同时获得糖基化位点和对应糖链的结构信息,更具有重要意义和研究前景。本工作对质谱软电离技术在完整糖肽分析中的应用进行了研究,其中包括了基质辅助激光解吸电离(matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization, MALDI)和电喷雾电离(electrospray ionization, ESI)技术。通过平行使用两种串联质谱(tandem mass spectrometry, MS/MS)分析策略: MALDI-MS/MS和ESI-MS/MS对目标糖蛋白——辣根过氧化物酶进行分析,并讨论了其互补性。结果表明,MALDI和ESI技术各有优劣,结合串联质谱分析,可获得糖肽的糖链结构信息;两条路线互补使用,在揭示蛋白质糖基化修饰(位点和结构)的研究中十分必要。     

Uncovering matrix effects on lipid analyses in MALDI imaging mass spectrometry experiments

The specific matrix used in matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI IMS) can have an effect on the molecules ionized from a tissue sample. The sensitivity for distinct classes of biomolecules can vary when employing different MALDI matrices. Here, we compare the intensities of various lipid subclasses measured by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT‐ICR) IMS of murine liver tissue when using 9‐aminoacridine (9AA), 5‐chloro‐2‐mercaptobenzothiazole (CMBT), 1,5‐diaminonaphthalene (DAN), 2,5‐Dihydroxyacetophenone (DHA), and 2,5‐dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB). Principal component analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed significant matrix effects on the relative signal intensities observed for different lipid subclasses and adducts. Comparison of spectral profiles and quantitative assessment of the number and intensity of species from each lipid subclass showed that each matrix produces unique lipid signals. In positive ion mode, matrix application methods played a role in the MALDI analysis for different cationic species. Comparisons of different methods for the application of DHA showed a significant increase in the intensity of sodiated and potassiated analytes when using an aerosol sprayer. In negative ion mode, lipid profiles generated using DAN were significantly different than all other matrices tested. This difference was found to be driven by modification of phosphatidylcholines during ionization that enables them to be detected in negative ion mode. These modified phosphatidylcholines are isomeric with common phosphatidylethanolamines confounding MALDI IMS analysis when using DAN. These results show an experimental basis of MALDI analyses when analyzing lipids from tissue and allow for more informed selection of MALDI matrices when performing lipid IMS experiments.     

Miniaturized linear time-of-flight mass spectrometer with pulsed extraction

Improved resolution for a miniaturized instrument is demonstrated at high masses using a pulsed extraction, 3(") linear time-of-flight (TOF) mass analyzer. This illustrates the utility of a small and simple mass spectrometer for biological/medical analyses. Current and future applications suggested by this instrument include rapid mass spectral reading of oligonucleotides that differ in one base (single nucleotide polymorphisms), distinction of biomarker signatures from different species of bacterial spores (biological weapons detection) and point-of-care instruments for proteomics-based diagnostics. We have incorporated a two-stage, pulsed-extraction design that places the focal plane of the ions at the detector channel plate surface. The ions are accelerated to a total energy of 12 keV to enable detection of high-mass proteins in a design that incorporates a floatable flight tube set at the voltage of the front channel plate of the detector. The resultant elimination of post-acceleration at the detector is intended to improve mass resolution by reducing the difference in arrival times between ions and their neutral products. Resolutions of one part in 1200 at m/z 4500 and one part in 600 at m/z 12 000 have been achieved. Proteins with molecular masses up to 66 000 Da, mixtures of oligonucleotides, and biological spores have all been successfully measured, results that increase the potential use of this TOF analyzer.     

High‐resolution MALDI‐TOF MS study on analysis of low‐molecular‐weight products from photo‐oxidation of poly(3‐hexylthiophene)

High‐resolution matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS) was used for the analysis of the low‐molecular‐weight products from the photo‐oxidation of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) in solution and thin film. Eight new peak series were observed in the low‐mass range of the mass spectra of the products degraded in solution, and the formulas of the eight components were determined from the accurate mass. From SEC/MALDI‐TOF MS, two components were identified as the degraded products, and the other six components were derived from the fragmentation of the degraded products during the MALDI process. A mechanism for the formation of these components was proposed on the basis of the results of MALDI‐TOF MS. For the thin film degradation, a part of products in the solution degradation were observed, which supports that the oxidation of P3HT in solution and thin film proceeded in the same mechanism. This study shows that high‐resolution MALDI‐TOF MS is effective for the analysis of the low‐molecular‐weight products from P3HT photo‐oxidation and expected to be feasible for the degradation analyses of other polymers. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trace analysis of glyclazide in human plasma at microscale level by mass spectrometry

Green (reagents and organic solvents saving) analytical chemistry is a new strategy for pharmaceutical analysis. The principles of this idea include primary elimination or at least reduction of the amounts of organic reagents and solvents. In this study, we have provided two simple methods for the analysis of clinical drugs in human plasma. One is the capillary LC (Cap LC) connected to MS–MS, the other is the matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) connected to TOF MS. Sulfonylurea drugs are usually used in diabetes mellitus patients. Diabetes is a syndrome of disordered metabolism resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). These microscale methods were successfully applied for the monitoring of drug levels in human plasma using gliclazide (a second‐generation sulfonylurea) as the test platform. The sensitivity of these methods is sufficient for detecting the gliclazide within a therapeutic range. All the analytical procedures (including human plasma, sample preparation, and flow rate of the analytical system) were at microscale level. These two methods would lower the consumption of organic solvents further safeguarding our environment.     

Ring‐expansion polymerization of meso‐lactide catalyzed by dibutyltin derivatives

Meso‐Lactide was polymerized in bulk at 60, 80, and 100 °C by means of three different types of catalysts: dibutyltin sulfides (2,2‐dibutyl‐2‐stanna‐1,3‐dithiolane and 2,2′‐dibutyl‐2‐stanna‐1,3‐dithiane), dibutyltin derivatives of substituted catechols (BuCa, CyCa, and BzCa), and dibutyltin derivatives of 2,2′dihydroxybiphenyl (SnBi) and 2,2′‐dihydroxy‐1,1′‐binaphthyl (SnNa). Only the latter two catalysts were active at 60 °C. The architecture of the resulting polylactides depends very much on the structure of the catalyst and on the temperature. At the lowest temperature (60 °C), SnBi and SnNa mainly yielded even‐numbered linear chains, but SnNa also yielded even‐numbered cycles at 100 °C and short reaction times. In contrast, BuCa, CyCa, and BzCa mainly yielded odd‐numbered cycles, although the same catalysts yielded even‐numbered linear chains when benzylalcohol was added. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 749–759     

Synthesis of Eight‐shaped Poly(ethylene oxide) by the Combination of Glaser Coupling with Ring‐opening Polymerization

The eight‐shaped poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is synthesized by a combination of Glaser coupling with ring‐opening polymerization (ROP). Firstly, the star‐shaped (PEO‐OH) ₄ is synthesized by ROP of ethylene oxide (EO) using pentaerythritol as an initiator and diphenylmethyl potassium (DPMK) as a deprotonated agent, and then the alkyne group is introduced onto the PEO arm‐end to give (PEO‐Alkyne) ₄ in a NaH/tetrahydrofuran (THF) system. The intramolecular cyclization is carried out by a Glaser coupling reaction in a pyridine/CuBr/N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) system at room temperature in an air atmosphere, and eight‐shaped PEO was formed with high efficiency (almost 100%). The target polymers and intermediates were well characterized by SEC, MALDI‐TOF MS, ¹H NMR and FT‐IR in detail.

     

Decomposition of protein nitrosothiolsin matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The S-nitrosylation of proteins is involved in the trafficking of nitric oxide (NO) in intra- and extracellular milieus. To establish a mass spectrometric method for identifying this post-translational modification of proteins, a synthetic peptide and transthyretin were S-nitrosylated in vitro and analyzed by electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. The intact molecular ion species of nitrosylated compounds was identified in the ESI mass spectrum without elimination of the NO group. However, the labile nature of the S-NO bond was evident when the in-source fragmentation efficiently generated [M + H - 30](+) ions. The decomposition was prominent for multiply charged transthyretin ions with high charge states under ordinary ESI conditions, indicating that the application of minimum nozzle potentials was essential for delineating the stoichiometry of nitrosylation in proteins. With MALDI, the S-NO bond cleavage occurred during the ionization process, and the subsequent reduction generated [M + H - 29](+) ions.     

Initiation of free‐radical polymerization by peroxypivalates studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Initiation by tert‐butyl peroxypivalate (TBPP), tert‐amyl peroxypivalate (TAPP), 1,1,3,3‐tetramethylbutyl peroxypivalate (TMBPP), or 1,1,2,2‐tetramethylpropyl peroxypivalate (TMPPP) of radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in toluene solution at 90 °C was studied via polymer end‐group analysis using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). Conclusive peak assignments allowed for measuring the type and concentration of the fragments that actually initiate macromolecular growth after thermal decomposition of these peroxypivalates. It was found that the pivaloyloxy radical moiety undergoes instantaneous decarboxylation to yield an initiating tert‐butyl radical. The alkoxy radical moiety, on the other hand, may generate, via β‐scission reaction, different types of carbon‐centered radicals (together with a ketone) or may undergo a 1,5‐H‐shift reaction, by which reaction an oxygen‐centered radical is transformed into a carbon‐centered hydroxy radical. This hydrogen shift reaction was found in case of TMBPP. Surprisingly, no evidence for initiating alkoxy radicals could be found, not even in case of initiation by TBPP, where the intermediate tert‐butoxy radical undergoes a rapid chain‐transfer reaction with the solvent toluene. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4266–4275, 2004     

Uncharged Water‐Soluble Metal‐Bis‐Porphyrins Like Molecular Tweezers for Amino Acids

Some new water‐soluble bis‐porphyrins, constituted of two porphyrin units spaced by means of aliphatic bridges of different lengths, were synthesized and characterized by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry, ¹H NMR and UV‐vis spectroscopy. The hydrosolubility of these uncharged compounds was guaranteed from the presence of six long PEG chains bound on the peripheral positions of the two porphyrins. Cobalt and zinc derivatives were also prepared. In the case of Co‐bis‐porphyrin, the appearance of induced circular dichroism (ICD) signals in water solution confirmed the formation of stable complexes with some amino acids, in which the bis‐porphyrin behaves like molecular tweezers.

     

Separation of Amadori peptides from their unmodified analogs by ion-pairing RP-HPLC with heptafluorobutyric acid as ion-pair reagent

Glycation is a common class of nonenzymatic posttranslational modifications relevant for several diseases and cell aging in general, such as D-glucose-derived modifications at the ɛ-amino groups of lysine residues in blood proteins, especially albumin, immunoglobulin, and hemoglobin, for diabetic patients. These Amadori compounds are identified on the peptide level after enzymatic digestion and chromatographic separation by mass spectrometry. Their syntheses usually rely on a global glycation approach. Both areas require the reliable separation of glycated peptides from their unmodified congeners present in different ratios, which is typically not achieved by standard eluent systems in ion-pairing RP-HPLC (IP-RPLC). Here, we compare aqueous acetonitrile and methanol gradients containing either trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or heptafluorobutyric acid (HFBA) as ion-pairing agents to separate such peptide pairs. TFA-containing eluents resulted in rather low resolutions, and the glycated and unglycated peptides often coeluted. HFBA increased the retention times of the unmodified peptide more than for the glycated peptide thereby improving the separation of all eight studied peptide pairs, even achieving baseline separations for some sequences. Thus the use of HFBA as ion-pair reagent provides a universally applicable eluent system in IP-RPLC to separate glycated peptides from their unmodified counterparts, even at the preparative scale required for synthetic peptides.     

Investigations with O-linked protein glycosylations by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Posttranslational modifications such as glycosylation can play a fundamental role in signaling pathways that transform an ordinary cell into a malignant one. The development of a protocol to detect these changes in the preliminary stages of disease can lead to a sensitive and specific diagnostic for the early detection of malignancies such as ovarian cancer in which differential glycan patterns are linked to etiology and progression. Small variations in instrument parameters and sample preparation techniques are known to have significant influence on the outcome of an experiment. For an experiment to be effective and reproducible, these parameters must be optimized for the analyte(s) under study. We present a detailed examination of sample preparation and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (MALDI-FT-ICR-MS) analysis of O-linked glycans globally cleaved from mucin glycoproteins. Experiments with stable isotope-labeled biomolecules allowed for the establishment of appropriate acquisition times and excitation voltages for MALDI-FT-ICR-MS of oligosaccharides. Quadrupole ion guide optimization studies with mucin glycans identified conditions for the comprehensive analysis of the entire mass range of O-linked carbohydrates in this glycoprotein. Separately optimized experimental parameters were integrated in a method that allowed for the effective study of O-linked glycans. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An approach to analysis of primary amines by a combination of thin‐layer chromatography and matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry in conjunction with post‐chromatographic derivatization

On‐spot derivatization has been suggested for the modification of primary amine containing compounds for their analysis by thin‐layer chromatography hyphenated with matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. The proposed approach was based on post‐chromatographic treatment of separated analytes inside the chromatographic zones on the thin‐layer chromatography plates by tris(2,6‐dimethoxyphenyl)methilium reagent. The derivatives, containing permanent positive charge, reveal exceptionally intense peaks of their cationic moieties and high signal/noise ratio in mass spectra recorded directly from the plates. The method was tested on a series of aliphatic, aromatic, and amine‐containing pharmaceuticals.