Comparison of the internal energy deposition of venturi-assisted electrospray ionization and a venturi-assisted array of micromachined ultrasonic electrosprays (AMUSE)

The internal energy deposition of a Venturi-assisted array of micromachined ultrasonic electrosprays (AMUSE), with and without the application of a DC charging potential, is compared with equivalent experiments for Venturi-assisted electrospray ionization (ESI) using the "survival yield" method on a series of para-substituted benzylpyridinium salts. Under conditions previously shown to provide maximum ion yields for standard compounds, the observed mean internal energies were nearly identical (1.93-2.01 eV). Operation of AMUSE without nitrogen flow to sustain the air amplifier focusing effect generated energetically colder ions with mean internal energies that were up to 39% lower than those for ESI. A balance between improved ion transfer, adequate desolvation, and favorable ion energetics was achieved by selection of optimum operational ranges for the parameters that most strongly influence the ion population: the air amplifier gas flow rate and API capillary temperature. Examination of the energy landscapes obtained for combinations of these parameters showed that a low internal energy region (相似文献   

Effects of ionization mode on charge-site-remote and related fragmentation reactions of long-chain quaternary ammonium ions

Comparison of collisionally activated fragment spectra of long-chain quaternary ammonium ions, formed by liquid-assisted secondary ion mass spectrometry (LSIMS) and electrospray ionization (ESI), shows the latter are dominated by radical cations while the former yield mainly even-electron charge-site-remote (CSR) fragments, similar to the report for different precursors by Cheng et al., J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 1998, 9, 840. Here, mixed-site fragmentation products (formal loss of a radical directly bonded to the nitrogen plus a radical derived from the long chain) are of comparable importance for both ionization techniques. These observations are difficult to understand if the CSR ions are formed by a concerted rearrangement-elimination reaction, since precollision internal energies of the ESI ions are much lower than those of the ions from LSIMS. Alternatively, if one discards the concerted mechanism for high-energy CA, and assumes that the even-electron fragments are predominantly formed via homolytic bond cleavage, the colder radical cations from ESI survive to the detector while the more energized counterparts from LSIMS preferentially lose a hydrogen atom to yield the CSR ions, as proposed by Wysocki and Ross (Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Processes 1991, 104, 179). The present work also attempts to reconcile discrepancies involving critical energies and known structures for neutral fragments.     

Fragmentation of benzylpyridinium “thermometer” ions and its effect on the accuracy of internal energy calibration

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is a powerful analytical method to study biomolecules and noncovalent complexes. The prerequisite for their intact observation is soft ionization. In ESI, the internal energy of ions is primarily influenced by collisional activation in the source. The survival yield method is frequently used to probe the energy deposition in ions during the electrospray process. In the present work, we investigate the fragmentation pathways of para-substituted benzylpyridinium ions, the most widely used “thermometer ions” in the survival yield method. In addition to the C-N bond cleavage, alternative fragmentation channels were found for the compounds studied. We consider these pathways to result from intramolecular rearrangements. The effect of these additional fragments on the accuracy of the internal energy calibration is estimated for both collision-cell and in-source collision-induced dissociation (CID). Altogether, results presented suggest that a correction of the energy scale is necessary for the method based on benzylpyridinium ions to precisely quantify ion internal energies.     

Gas-phase binding of non-covalent protein complexes between bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor and its target enzymes studied by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

The potential of electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) to detect non-covalent protein complexes has been demonstrated repeatedly. However, questions about correlation of the solution and gas-phase structures of these complexes still produce vigorous scientific discussion. Here, we demonstrate the evaluation of the gas-phase binding of non-covalent protein complexes formed between bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) and its target enzymes over a wide range of dissociation constants. Non-covalent protein complexes were detected by ESI-MS. The abundance of the complex ions in the mass spectra is less than expected from the values of the dissociation constants of the complexes in solution. Collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and a collision model for ion activation were used to evaluate the binding of non-covalent complexes in the gas phase. The internal energy required to induce dissociation was calculated for three collision gases (Ne, Ar, Kr) over a wide range of collision gas pressures and energies using an electrospray ionization source. The order of binding energies of the gas-phase ions for non-covalent protein complexes formed by the ESI source and assessed using CAD-MS/MS appears to differ from that of the solution complexes. The implication is that solution structure of these complexes was not preserved in the gas phase.     

Determination of binding selectivities in host-guest complexation by electrospray/quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry

The quantifiable relationship between the equilibrium solution composition and electrospray (ESI) mass spectral peak intensities of simple host-guest complexes was investigated. Specifically, host-guest complexes of simple crown ethers or glymes with alkali metals and ammonium ions were studied. Comparisons were made between the theoretical concentrations of host-guest complexes derived in solution from known stability constants and the peak intensities for the complexes observed by ESI mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Two types of complexation experiments were undertaken. First, complexation of a single guest ion, such as an alkali metal, and two crown ethers was studied to evaluate the determination of binding selectivities. Second, complexation of two different guest ions by a single polyether host was also examined. In general, solvation was found to play an integral part in the ability to quantify binding selectivities by ESI-MS. The more similar the solvation energies of the two complexes in the mixture, the more quantifiable their binding selectivities by ESI-MS. In some cases, excellent correlation was obtained between the theoretically predicted selectivity ratios and the ESI mass spectral ratios, in particular when the ESI ratios were adjusted based on evaluation of ESI response factors for the various host-guest complexes.     

Differentiation of a pair of diastereomeric tertiarybutoxycarbonylprolylproline ethyl esters by collision-induced dissociation of sodium adduct ions in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and evidence for chiral recognition by ab initio molecular orbital calculations

The fragmentation of the sodium adduct ions for tert-butoxycarbonyl-L-prolyl-L-proline ethyl ester (Boc-L-Pro-L-Pro-OEt) was compared with that for Boc-D-Pro-L-Pro-OEt in positive-ion electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. In the collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra of the [M + Na](+) ions, the abundance of the [M + Na - C(CH(3))(3) + H](+) ion, which is due to the loss of a tert-butyl group from the [M + Na](+) ion for Boc-D-Pro-L-Pro-OEt, was about eight times higher than that for Boc-L-Pro-L-Pro-OEt. In addition, in the CID spectra of the sodium adduct fragment ion ([M + Na - Boc + H](+)), the abundance of the [M + Na - Boc - prolylresidue + H](+) ion, which is due to the loss of prolyl residue from the [M + Na - Boc + H](+) ion for Boc-L-Pro-L-Pro-OEt, was about five times higher than that for Boc-D-Pro-L-Pro-OEt. These results indicate that Boc-L-Pro-L-Pro-OEt was distinguished from Boc-D-Pro-L-Pro-OEt by the CID mass spectra of the sodium adduct ions in ESI mass spectrometry. The optimized geometries of the [M + Na](+) and the [M + Na - Boc + H](+) ions calculated by ab initio molecular orbital calculations suggest that the chiral recognition of these diastereomers was due to the difference of the orientation of a sodium ion to the oxygen and nitrogen atoms in dipeptide derivatives, and to the difference of the total energies between them.     

Comparison of the binding stoichiometries of positively charged DNA-binding drugs using positive and negative ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Positive and negative ion electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectra of complexes of positively charged small molecules (distamycin, Hoechst 33258, [Ru(phen)2dpq]Cl2 and [Ru(phen)2dpqC]Cl2) have been compared. [Ru(phen)2dpq]Cl2 and [Ru(phen)2dpqC]Cl2 bind to DNA by intercalation. Negative ion ESI mass spectra of mixtures of [Ru(phen)2dpq]Cl2 or [Ru(phen)2dpqC]Cl2 with DNA showed ions from DNA-ligand complexes consistent with solution studies. In contrast, only ions from free DNA were present in positive ion ESI mass spectra of mixtures of [Ru(phen)2dpq]Cl2 or [Ru(phen)2dpqC]Cl2 with DNA, highlighting the need for obtaining ESI mass spectra of non-covalent complexes under a range of experimental conditions. Negative ion spectra of mixtures of the minor groove binder Hoechst 33258 with DNA containing a known minor groove binding sequence were dominated by ions from a 1:1 complex. In contrast, in positive ion spectra there were also ions present from a 2:1 (Hoechst 33258: DNA) complex, suggesting an alternative binding mode was possible either in solution or in the gas phase. When Hoechst 33258 was mixed with a DNA sequence lacking a high affinity minor groove binding site, the negative ion ESI mass spectra showed that 1:1 and 2:1 complexes were formed, consistent with existence of binding modes other than minor groove binding. The data presented suggest that comparison of positive and negative ion ESI-MS spectra might provide an insight into various binding modes in both solution and the gas phase.     

Differentiation of lisinopril and its RSS diastereomer by liquid chromatography combined with collision‐induced dissociation mass spectrometry

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem multiple‐stage mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) method suitable for bulk lisinopril analysis was developed, by which lisinopril and its RSS isomer were separated and differentiated. In the collision‐induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra of the [M + H]⁺ ions, the abundance of the fragment ion of m/z 246 for lisinopril was about two times higher than the ion of m/z 245; however, the former fragment ion was noted to be a little lower than the latter for RSS isomer at all collision energies. In the CID mass spectra of the [M + Li]⁺ ion, the abundance of the rearrangement ion of m/z 315 for the RSS isomer was about three times higher than that for lisinopril. Furthermore, the difference was supported by the results of energy‐resolved mass spectrometry (ERMS) in the test range of collision energies. Similar differences were also observed between the CID mass spectra of lisinopril and RSS isomer methylester, which indicated that the RSS isomer could be rapidly characterized by the CID mass spectra of both the protonated and lithium adduct ion. Elemental compositions of all the ions were confirmed by Fourier Transform ion cyclotron resonance ESI mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR‐ESI/MS). In addition, theoretical computations were carried out to support the experimental results. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An electrospray ionization source for thermochemical investigation with the guided ion beam mass spectrometer

An electrospray ionization (ESI) source developed for use with the guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer (GIBMS) is described. For accurate determination of thermochemistry using threshold collision-induced dissociation (TCID), it is essential that any source produces ions with four exacting characteristics: (1) high intensity, (2) stable signal, and well-defined energies both (3) kinetic, and (4) internal. To accomplish these objectives, the ions generated by the electrospray are collected using a radio frequency electrodynamic ion funnel and are then transferred into a hexapole ion guide where they are thermalized and subsequently passed into higher-vacuum regions for analysis. The resulting ion intensities using this source can exceed 10(6) ions/s. Stable beams (<10% variation in signal) can be generated over multiple hours. The kinetic energy distribution of ions emerging from this source has been shown to be well described by a Gaussian distribution with a full width half maximum (FWHM) of about 0.1-0.2 eV in the laboratory frame of reference. Finally, TCID results for ions generated with this source show excellent agreement with previously reported threshold values for ions generated using a variety of sources and experimental methodologies. This confirms that internal energies of the ions are well described by a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution at room temperature.     

Preservation of non-covalent associations in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry: Multiply charged polypeptide and protein dimers

The ‘softness’ of the electrospray ionization (ESI) method provides a direct link between solution chemistry and the inherent gas-phase environment of mass Spectrometry. Available results related to the preservation of non-covalent associations into the gas phase after ESI are reviewed. These associations include the possible retention of elements of higher order protein structure, non-covalent polypeptide–heme associations and enzyme complexes. Experimental results are presented showing that non-covalently bound polypeptide and protein dimer ions are relatively common as low level contributions to ESI mass spectra. It is argued that these dimers are reflective of multimeric species in solution since Coulombic barriers preclude dimerization after ESI although uncertainty remains regarding whether they exist prior to the formation of highly charged droplets. The dissociation of dimers is facile and for proteins can yield monomers having a broad distribution of charge states. The detection of non-covalently associated dimers requires gentle ESI mass spectrometer interface conditions, yielding relatively low levels of internal excitation. Under such conditions incomplete molecular ion desolvation can result in experimental artifacts for tandem mass spectrometric experiments. ESI mass Spectrometry may have broad potential for the study of noncovalent liquid phase associations.     

Determination of gas phase protein ion densities via ion mobility analysis with charge reduction

We use a charge reduction electrospray (ESI) source and subsequent ion mobility analysis with a differential mobility analyzer (DMA, with detection via both a Faraday cage electrometer and a condensation particle counter) to infer the densities of single and multiprotein ions of cytochrome C, lysozyme, myoglobin, ovalbumin, and bovine serum albumin produced from non-denaturing (20 mM aqueous ammonium acetate) and denaturing (1?:?49.5?:?49.5, formic acid?:?methanol?:?water) ESI. Charge reduction is achieved through use of a Po-210 radioactive source, which generates roughly equal concentrations of positive and negative ions. Ions produced by the source collide with and reduce the charge on ESI generated drops, preventing Coulombic fissions, and unlike typical protein ESI, leading to gas-phase protein ions with +1 to +3 excess charges. Therefore, charge reduction serves to effectively mitigate any role that Coulombic stretching may play on the structure of the gas phase ions. Density inference is made via determination of the mobility diameter, and correspondingly the spherical equivalent protein volume. Through this approach it is found that for both non-denaturing and denaturing ESI-generated ions, gas-phase protein ions are relatively compact, with average densities of 0.97 g cm(-3) and 0.86 g cm(-3), respectively. Ions from non-denaturing ESI are found to be slightly more compact than predicted from the protein crystal structures, suggesting that low charge state protein ions in the gas phase are slightly denser than their solution conformations. While a slight difference is detected between the ions produced with non-denaturing and denaturing ESI, the denatured ions are found to be much more dense than those examined previously by drift tube mobility analysis, in which charge reduction was not employed. This indicates that Coulombic stretching is typically what leads to non-compact ions in the gas-phase, and suggests that for gas phase measurements to be correlated to biomolecular structures in solution, low charge state ions should be analyzed. Further, to determine if different solution conditions give rise to ions of different structure, ions of similar charge state should be compared. Non-denatured protein ion densities are found to be in excellent agreement with non-denatured protein ion densities inferred from prior DMA and drift tube measurements made without charge reduction (all ions with densities in the 0.85-1.10 g cm(-3) range), showing that these ions are not strongly influenced by Coulombic stretching nor by analysis method.     

Internal energy distributions in desorption electrospray ionization (DESI)

The internal energy distributions of typical ions generated by desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) were measured using the "survival yield" method, and compared with corresponding data for electrospray ionization (ESI) and electrosonic spray ionization (ESSI). The results show that the three ionization methods produce populations of ions having internal energy distributions of similar shapes and mean values (1.7-1.9 eV) suggesting similar phenomena, at least in the later stages of the process leading from solvated droplets to gas-phase ions. These data on energetics are consistent with the view that DESI involves "droplet pick-up" (liquid-liquid extraction) followed by ESI-like desolvation and gas-phase ion formation. The effects of various experimental parameters on the degree of fragmentation of p-methoxy-benzylpyridinium ions were compared between DESI and ESSI. The results show similar trends in the survival yields as a function of the nebulizing gas pressure, solvent flow rate, and distance from the sprayer tip to the MS inlet. These observations are consistent with the mechanism noted above and they also enable the user to exercise control over the energetics of the DESI ionization process, through manipulation of external and internal ion source parameters.     

一种蒽醌类荧光探针的合成及对氟离子的检测性能

以1,4-二羟基蒽醌为荧光团,叔丁基二甲基氯硅烷为识别基团,设计合成了新型氟离子探针分子1,4-二-(叔丁基-二甲基-硅氧基) 蒽醌(AQTB1),其结构经¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR和MS(ESI)表征。采用FL和UV-Vis详细研究了响应时间、溶液pH值、干扰离子、氟离子浓度对探针AQTB1检测性能的影响。结果表明：探针AQTB1在pH=3~12的缓冲溶液中,实现了对氟离子的高效检测,并不受干扰离子影响。通过FL, IR和MS(ESI)对探针AQTB1检测机理进行研究,结果表明：加入氟离子后,探针分子中的Si-O键断裂,荧光较弱的AQTB1转化为荧光较强的1,4-二羟基蒽醌,实现氟离子的精确定量。实际样品分析实验中,3种不同水样中氟离子的加标回收率为88.0%～109.5%,相对标准偏差(RSD)低于8.5%。     

Internal energy deposition and ion fragmentation in atmospheric-pressure mid-infrared laser ablation electrospray ionization

Mid-infrared laser ablation of water-rich targets at the maximum of the 2.94 μm absorption band is a two-step process initiated by phase explosion followed by recoil pressure induced material ejection. Particulates and/or droplets ejected by this high temperature high pressure process can be ionized for mass spectrometry by charged droplets from an electrospray. In order to gauge the internal energy introduced in this laser ablation electrospray ionization (LAESI?) process, we apply the survival yield method and compare the results with electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI). The results indicate that LAESI yields ions with internal energies indistinguishable from those produced by ESI. This finding is consistent with the recoil pressure induced ejection of low micrometre droplets that does not significantly change the internal energy of solute molecules.     

Comparative study of organic dyes with time-of-flight static secondary ion mass spectrometry and related techniques

A series of cationic, zwitterionic and anionic fluorinated carbocyanine dyes, spin-coated on Si substrates, were measured with time-of-flight static secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-S-SIMS) under Ga(+) primary ion bombardment. Detailed fragmentation patterns were developed for all dyes measured. In the positive mode, the resulting spectra showed very intense signals for the precursor ions of the cationic dyes, whereas the protonated signals of the anionic dyes were hardly detected. Differences of three orders of magnitude were repeatedly observed for the secondary ion signal intensities of cationic and anionic dyes, respectively. All measured dyes yielded mass spectra containing several characteristic fragment ions. Although the secondary ion yields were still higher for the cationic than the anionic dye fragments, the difference was reduced to a factor of < or =10. This result and the fact that M(+), [M + H](+) or [M + 2H](+) are even-electron species make it very likely that the recorded fragments were not formed directly out of the (protonated) parent ions M(+), [M + H](+) or [M + 2H](+). In the negative mode, none of the recorded spectra contained molecular information. Only signals originating from some characteristic elements of the molecules (F, Cl), the anionic counter ion signal and some low-mass organic ions were detected. A comparative study was made between TOF-S-SIMS, using Ga(+) primary ions, and other mass spectrometric techniques, namely fast atom bombardment (FAB), electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI). The measurements showed that MALDI, ESI and FAB all give rise to spectra containing molecular ion signals. ESI and FAB produced M(+) and [M + H](+) signals, originating from the cationic and zwitterionic dyes, in the positive mode and M(-) and [M - H](-) signals of the anionic and zwitterionic dyes in the negative mode. With MALDI, molecular ion signals were measured in both modes for all the dyes. Structural fragment ions were detected for FAB, ESI and MALDI in both the positive and negative modes. Compared with the other techniques, TOF-S-SIMS induced a higher degree of fragmentation.     

Electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry for structural characterization of oligosaccharides derivatized with 2-aminobenzamide

The use of electrospray ionization (ESI) quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the characterization of 2-aminobenzamide (2AB)-labeled oligosaccharides and N-linked protein oligosaccharide mixtures is described. The major signals were obtained under these conditions from the [M+Na]+ ions for all 2AB-derivatized oligosaccharides. Under collision-induced dissociation, sodiated molecular species generated in the ESI mode yield simple and predictable mass spectra. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) experiments with orders higher than two offer a number of ways to enhance MS/MS spectra and to derive information not present in MS and MS2 spectra. Information on composition, sequence, branching and, to some extent, interglycosidic linkages can be deduced from fragments resulting from the cleavage of glycosidic bonds and from weak cross-ring cleavage products. Reversed-phase HPLC and derivatization by reductive amination using 2-aminobenzamide were finally applied to characterize a glycan pool enzymatically released from glycoproteins.     

High-frequency AC electrospray ionization source for mass spectrometry of biomolecules

A novel high-frequency alternating current (AC) electrospray ionization (ESI) source has been developed for applications in mass spectrometry. The AC ESI source operates in a conical meniscus mode, analogous to the cone-jet mode of direct current (DC) electrosprays but with significant physical and mechanistic differences. In this stable conical-meniscus mode at frequencies greater than 50 kHz, the low mobility ions, which can either be cations or anions, are entrained within the liquid cone and ejected as droplets that eventually form molecular ions, thus making AC ESI a viable tool for both negative and positive mode mass spectrometry. The performance of the AC ESI source is qualitatively shown to be frequency-dependent and, for larger bio-molecules, the AC ESI source produced an ion signal intensity that is an order of magnitude higher than its DC counterpart.     

Top-Down Mass Spectrometry of Supercharged Native Protein-Ligand Complexes

Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) of intact, noncovalently-bound protein-ligand complexes can yield structural information on the site of ligand binding. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) top-down MS of the 29 kDa carbonic anhydrase-zinc complex and adenylate kinase bound to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) with collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) and/or electron capture dissociation (ECD) generates product ions that retain the ligand and their identities are consistent with the solution phase structure. Increasing gas phase protein charging from electrospray ionization (ESI) by the addition of supercharging reagents, such as m-nitrobenzyl alcohol and sulfolane, to the protein analyte solution improves the capability of MS/MS to generate holo-product ions. Top-down proteomics for protein sequencing can be enhanced by increasing analyte charging.     

Formation of lithiated adducts of glycerophosphocholine lipids facilitates their identification by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS) has simplified analysis of phospholipid mixtures, and, in negative ion mode, permits structural identification of picomole amounts of phospholipid species. Collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) of phospholipid anions yields negative ion tandem mass spectra that contain fragment ions representing the fatty acid substituents as carboxylate anions. Glycerophosphocholine (GPC) lipids contain a quaternary nitrogen moiety and more readily form cationic adducts than anionic species, and positive ion tandem mass spectra of protonated GPC species contain no abundant ions that identify fatty acid substituents. We report here that lithiated adducts of GPC species are readily formed by adding lithium hydroxide to the solution in which phospholipid mixtures are infused into the ESI source. CAD of [MLi⁺] ions of GPC species yields tandem mass spectra that contain prominent ions representing losses of the fatty acid substituents. These ions and their relative abundances can be used to assign the identities and positions of the fatty acid substituents of GPC species. Tandem mass spectrometric scans monitoring neutral losses of the head-group or of fatty acid substituents from lithiated adducts can be used to identify GPC species in tissue phospholipid mixtures. Similar scans monitoring parents of specific product ions can also be used to identify the fatty acid substituents of GPC species, and this facilitates identification of distinct isobaric contributors to ions observed in the ESI/MS total ion current.     

On the detailed mechanisms of collision-induced dissociation experiments performed by electrospray ion trap

The product ion spectra obtained by electrospray ionization (ESI) ion trap instruments exhibit a higher number of fragment ions than those achieved by other ion-trap-based systems, indicating the presence of more effective energy deposition mechanisms. This behavior can be attributed to several different reasons, among which different initial internal energy of the precursor ions, pre-activation due to collisions taking place outside the trap, different target gas mixtures inside the trap, and different ion trap geometry were considered. Data obtained from experiments using a triple quadrupole instrument, CI-ion trap, and ESI-ion trap have been compared. The results so achieved seem to indicate that the presence inside the trap of neutral molecules of the solvent employed for the ESI process have a relevant role, promoting high energy deposition in the colliding ions.