Copper-coated microsprayer interface for on-line sheathless capillary electrophoresis electrospray mass spectrometry of carbohydrates

A sturdy home-built sheathless CE/ESI-QTOF-MS system was developed and optimized for carbohydrate analysis. The interface and employed methodology provided a simple analytical solution to laborious CE/MS interfacing methods and to problems in characterization of complex carbohydrate mixtures that require high-resolution separation of the components. The CE/ESI interface, feasible in any MS laboratory, consists of a one-piece CE column having the CE terminus in-laboratory shaped as a microsprayer and coated with copper. The CE microsprayer was inserted into an in-house made stainless steel clenching device and the whole assembly was mounted onto a quadrupole TOF mass spectrometer. The analytical potential of the interface in terms of suitability, microsprayer performance, copper coat durability, ionization efficiency, spray stability, and sensitivity was tested first on a simple mixture of standard saccharides, which were separated, resolved, and detected with high separation efficiency. The approach was next assessed for the screening of a biological sample, a complex mixture of O-glycosylated sialylated amino acids from urine of a patient suffering from Schindler disease. Preliminary data allow this method to be considered as one of general applicability in structural glycobiology and glycomics and easy to be implemented for proteomic surveys as well.     

Top-down analysis of basic proteins by microchip capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry

A system of microchip capillary electrophoresis/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (microchip-CE/ESI-MS) for rapid characterization of proteins has been developed. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) enables rapid analysis of a sample present in very small quantity, such as at femtomole levels, at high resolution. Faster CE/MS analysis is expected by downsizing the normal capillary to the microchip (microchip) capillary. Although rapidity and high resolution are advantages of CE separation, electroosmotic flow (EOF) instability caused by the interaction between proteins and the microchannel surface results in low reproducibility in the analysis of basic proteins under neutral pH conditions. By coating the microchannel surface with a basic polymer, polyE-323, basic proteins, which have pI values of over 7.5, could be separated and detected by microchip-CE/MS on quadrupole (Q) and time-of-flight (TOF) hybrid instruments. By increasing the cone and collision voltages during the analysis by microchip-CE/ESI-MS of a small protein, some product ions, which contain the sequence information, could also be obtained, i.e., 'top-down' analysis of the protein could be accomplished with this microchip-CE/MS system. To our knowledge, this is the first report of 'top-down' analysis of a protein by microchip-CE/MS. Since it requires a much shorter time and a smaller sample amount for analysis than the conventional liquid chromatography (LC)/ESI-MS method, microchip-CE/MS promises to be suitable for the high-throughput characterization of proteins.     

In-source fragmentation and analysis of polysaccharides by capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry

In order to develop a robust and easy-to-use technique for characterization of bacterial polysaccharides, a pseudo-hydrolysis strategy was investigated. Based on in-source collision-induced dissociation, polysaccharide molecular ions were fragmented within the orifice-skimmer region of an electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometer. The fragment ions thus generated were then analyzed similarly to the conventional ESI mass spectrometry approach. MS/MS scanning was applied to obtain product-ion spectra of the primary fragments for sequencing. To further improve the sensitivity and separation of polysaccharides from other components in the samples, a pressure-assisted capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry (CE/MS) system was employed. Using bacterial polysaccharides as model compounds, the mass spectra obtained for polysaccharide repeating units generated through chemical hydrolysis and in-source fragmentation were directly compared, both in positive and negative ion modes. With the additional separation of impurities provided by CE, the success of this technique has been demonstrated for structural analysis of O-chain polysaccharides (O-PS) and capsular polysaccharides (CPS). In-source fragmentation was applied to promote the formation of structurally relevant repeating units of heterogeneous CPS that would remain undetected using conventional ESI conditions. This approach was proven to be particularly useful for probing the subtle structural differences in monosaccharide composition and functionalities arising across bacterial serotypes.     

Capillary electrophoresis and off-line capillary electrophoresis-electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry of carbohydrates

The use of off-line high-performance capillary electrophoresis in connection with nanospray electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry for identification of complex carbohydrates of biological origin is presented. The method was applied to the identification of O-glycosylated amino acids and -glycopeptides from the urine of patients suffering from a hereditary disease - N-acetylhexosaminidase deficiency. Structural elements typical for O-glycosylation of proteins, like expression of core 1 and 2 type O-glycans with different numbers of N-acetyllactosaminyl repeats and different degrees of sialylation, can be directly detected.     

Separation of nicotine metabolites by capillary zone electrophoresis and capillary zone electrophoresis/mass spectrometry

The use of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and capillary zone electrophoresis/mass spectrometry (CZE/MS) has been demonstrated, in principle, for the separation of nicotine and nicotine metabolites. The buffer system developed for separation and detection by CZE/UV was modified for use in CZE/MS analysis. Several of the metabolites are isobaric and tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) techniques have been used to differentiate such analytes.     

Separation of neutral carbohydrates by capillary electrophoresis

The basic strategies for analysis of neutral carbohydrates by capillary electrophoresis are summarized. Neutral carbohydrates are dissociated in strong alkali to give anions, hence they can be separated directly by zone electrophoresis based on the difference between their dissociation constants. However, neutral carbohydrates are not electrically charged under normal conditions. Therefore, they should be converted to ions prior to or during analysis. Precapillary introduction of a basic or an acidic group to a neutral carbohydrate gives the derivative positive (in acidic media) or negative (in alkaline media) charge, respectively. The derivatives thus obtained can be separated by zone electrophoresis. Analysis of carbohydrates in a carrier containing an oxyacid salt (such as sodium borate) or an alkaline metal salt (such as calcium acetate) causes in situ conversion to anionic or cationic complexes, respectively, which are separated by zone electrophoresis. The effective uses of electrokinetic chromatography in sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles for hydrophobic derivatives (such as 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone derivatives) and size-exclusion electrophoresis in gel-packed capillaris for size different oligosaccharides are also discussed. Each separation mode has its inherent method(s) for detection, which are also described here.     

Top‐down analysis of basic proteins by microchip capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry

The original article to which this Erratum refers was published in Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2006; 20 : 1932–1938.     

Arsenic speciation by coupling capillary zone electrophoresis with mass spectrometry

Summary Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) has been coupled with mass spectrometry to enable the identification of mineral and organometallic compounds of arsenic in speciation studies. The electrophoretic effluent was introduced through a concentric interface into the mass spectrometer. Make-up liquid was added to enable electric contact at the outlet of the separation capillary and to assist the electronebulization process. After ionization, the ions were analyzed and quantified with an ion-trap detector. Optimization of the coupling conditions (geometry of the concentric interface, composition and flow rate of the sheath liquid, electronebulization and detection conditions) is described. The results show that the geometry of the concentric interface and the positioning of the outlet of the separation capillary have a critical effect on stability and sensitivity. Programming the electronebulization and detection conditions throughout the analysis enabled identification and quantification of the seven arsenic compounds of interest (neutral, and positively or negatively charged species) in less than 20 min at the ppm level. Limits of detection ranged from 0.5 to 3.3 mg L⁻¹, corresponding to amounts injected ranging from 15 to 60 pg. The linear dependence of mass spectrometric response on arsenic concentration was verified for concentrations ranging from 5 to 200 mgL⁻¹. For the two positively charged species, arsenobetaine and arsenocholine, an on-line preconcentration technique (field-amplified sample injection) enabled reduction of the detection limits by approximately one order of magnitude to 110 and 160 μgL⁻¹, respectively.     

Potential of capillary electrophoresis, tandem mass spectrometry and coupled capillary electrophoresis-tandem mass spectrometry as diagnostic tools

Urine and blood samples from patients with known metabolic disorders have been analyzed by CE, MS-MS and CE-MS-MS. For the identification of defects in acylcarnitine metabolism, blood spots on filter paper were analyzed using an MS-MS "neonatal screening" approach. Direct CE-MS-MS analysis was used for the analysis of urine samples from patients with different metabolic disorders, including galactosemia, neuroblastoma, Zellweger syndrome, propionic acidemia and alcaptonuria. The sensitivity of the CE-MS-MS method was increased by use of multiple reaction monitoring.     

Quantitative analysis of malto-oligosaccharides by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, capillary electrophoresis and anion exchange chromatography

The analysis of malto-oligosaccharides by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS), capillary electrophoresis (CE) and anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) is described. Appropriate methods were developed which enabled the resolution of the oligosaccharides and quantification of the peak areas. It could be shown that each technique provided a different distribution profile of the maltodextrins. Using MALDI-TOF MS signals of higher molecular weight oligomers were enhanced while low molecular weight analogues were discriminated. Thus, the response factor depends on the degree of polymerization (DP) of the carbohydrates. Homologues up to DP-15 could be detected. Analysis of the maltodextrins by CE was accomplished by derivatization of the sugars with 4-aminobenzonitrile (ABN) and 8-aminonaphthalene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid, respectively. By using the latter reagent oligosaccharides up to DP-13 were detected while derivatization with ABN allowed detection up to DP-9. The molecular weight distribution obtained by both approaches were the same. HPAEC-PAD enabled the determination of oligomers up to DP-9. The distribution obtained by this technique showed somewhat lower signals of the small homologues than those found by CE while the opposite held for higher molecular weight compounds. Hydrolysis of the carbohydrates by the derivatization reaction prior to CE analysis, which increased the proportion of low molecular weight homologues, may account for these findings. Receiverd: 28 August 1997 / Revised: 24 November 1997 / Accepted: 25 November 1997     

Single run measurements of drug-protein binding by high-performance frontal analysis capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

A novel drug-protein binding measurement method based on high-performance frontal analysis and capillary electrophoresis (HPFA/CE) is presented. A single run measurement approach is proposed to circumvent utilization of a calibration curve that is often performed with HPFA. A sensitive mass spectrometer is applied as a detector enabling the measurement of in vitro protein binding at lower drug concentrations. Unbound free fraction and binding constants can be determined by a single run measurement by consecutive injections of an internal drug standard, a buffer plug and a drug-protein mixture. Effects of injection volumes on peak height and plateau profile were investigated in two different separation systems, non-volatile buffer and volatile buffer, with UV and mass spectrometry detection, respectively. A simplified one-to-one binding model is employed to evaluate the proposed method by using both single and multiple drug concentrations to measure the unbound free fraction and calculate the binding constants of some selected compounds. The method is suitable for rapid and direct screening of the binding of a drug to a specific protein or drug-plasma protein binding.     

Quantitative analysis of malto-oligosaccharides by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, capillary electrophoresis and anion exchange chromatography

The analysis of malto-oligosaccharides by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS), capillary electrophoresis (CE) and anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) is described. Appropriate methods were developed which enabled the resolution of the oligosaccharides and quantification of the peak areas. It could be shown that each technique provided a different distribution profile of the maltodextrins. Using MALDI-TOF MS signals of higher molecular weight oligomers were enhanced while low molecular weight analogues were discriminated. Thus, the response factor depends on the degree of polymerization (DP) of the carbohydrates. Homologues up to DP-15 could be detected. Analysis of the maltodextrins by CE was accomplished by derivatization of the sugars with 4-aminobenzonitrile (ABN) and 8-aminonaphthalene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid, respectively. By using the latter reagent oligosaccharides up to DP-13 were detected while derivatization with ABN allowed detection up to DP-9. The molecular weight distribution obtained by both approaches were the same. HPAEC-PAD enabled the determination of oligomers up to DP-9. The distribution obtained by this technique showed somewhat lower signals of the small homologues than those found by CE while the opposite held for higher molecular weight compounds. Hydrolysis of the carbohydrates by the derivatization reaction prior to CE analysis, which increased the proportion of low molecular weight homologues, may account for these findings.     

A capillary electrophoresis and off-line capillary electrophoresis/electrospray ionization-quadrupole time of flight-tandem mass spectrometry approach for ganglioside analysis

A systematic study for the optimization and implementation of high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) in conjunction with negative ion electrospray ionization-quadrupole time of flight-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) for the analysis of complex glycolipids is described. The performance of the capillary electrophoresis (CE) and off-line CE/ESI-QTOF-MS approach has been explored for screening a complex ganglioside mixture from bovine brain. All instrumental and solution parameters demonstrated to require special adjustment and to have the most substantial effect on the CE separation, abundance of product ions produced in a low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) process and their detection by MS/MS, when attempting to identify and sequence single ganglioside molecular species from CE eluted fractions. Upon optimization of the experimental parameters, an efficient methodology emerged providing the general basic requirements for combined CE/ESI-MS analysis of this type of complex glycoconjugate.     

Characterization of deamidated peptide variants by micro-preparative capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) was compared with reversed-phase liquid chromatography for its ability to separate native and deamidated peptides. CE is shown to provide superior resolution of these peptides due to its charge-based separation mechanism. Fraction collection performed using a standard CE instrument equipped with a 96-well plate permits subsequent characterization by nanospray mass spectrometric (MS) analysis. Additional in-depth analysis by MS/MS is able to provide the location of the deamidation site based on y-ion mass shifts of 1 Da.     

Screening of carbohydrates in urine by capillary electrophoresis

Carbohydrate analysis of urine is clinically important in assisting diagnosis of disorders of carbohydrate metabolism and understanding its pathologic significance. Paper chromatography and thin-layer chromatography are the techniques that are often employed for the determination of urinary carbohydrates. An aim of our experiments was to investigate the utility of capillary electrophoresis to develop a fast screening procedure of urinary carbohydrates. Simultaneous resolution of eight carbohydrates involving maltose, lactose, D-mannose, D-glucose, D-ribose, D-xylose, L-arabinose and D-galactose as markers was obtained with 130 mM borate (pH 10.2). Ethanol/water (80/20 v/v) and acetonitrile proved to be efficient reagents for urine sample clean-up which produced symmetrical peaks. The urine sample from a normal subject was determined to contain lactose, glucose, xylose and arabinose that fall within normal ranges of these carbohydrates in urine. The investigations made in this study may be potentially useful in carbohydrate screening, especially in neonatal urine screening.     

Separation of derivatized carbohydrates by co-electroosmotic capillary electrophoresis

Summary The separation of derivatized carbohydrates has been performed by co-electroosmotic capillary electrophoresis. Derivatization was performed by reductive amination of the carbohydrates with ethylp-aminobenzoate or withp-aminobenzonitrile. Separation selectivity is optimized using buffer electrolytes containing high concentrations of borate, organic solvents, and mixtures thereof; this enabled separation of the carbohydrate derivatives then direct UV detection. Co-directional migration of the anionic analytes with the electroosmotic flow was achieved by adding a cationic polyer (hexadimethrine bromide, HDB) to the electrolyte. With this method it is possible to determine specific carbohydrates, such as arabinose, mannose, and glucose, which are difficult to separate by other CE methods. The applicability of the method is demonstrated for the analysis of plant hydrolyzates     

Separation of negatively charged carbohydrates by capillary electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has recently emerged as a highly promising technique consuming an extremely small amount of sample and capable of the rapid, high-resolution separation, characterization, and quantitation of analytes. CE has been used for the separation of biopolymers, including acidic carbohydrates. Since CE is basically an analytical method for ions, acidic carbohydrates that give anions in weakly acid, neutral, or alkaline media are often the direct objects of this method. The scope of this review is limited to the use of CE for the analysis of carbohydrates containing carboxylate, sulfate, and phosphate groups as well as neutral carbohydrates that have been derivatized to incorporate strongly acidic functionality, such as sulfonate groups.     

Ionene-dynamically coated capillary for analysis of urinary and recombinant human erythropoietin by capillary electrophoresis and online electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

In this article, a series of ionene polymers were synthesized and used to coat fused-silica capillaries for the separation of recombinant and urinary human erythropoietin (rhEPO and uEPO) standards by CE. The influence of the charge density of coatings on the separation of rhEPO and uEPO glycoforms was investigated. Then, we further studied the method for fast separation and detection of rhEPO and uEPO standards by CE-ESI-MS. The influence of several CE and MS operating parameters, such as the concentration of CE running buffer, applied external pressure, and the composition and flow rate of sheath liquid on CE-ESI-MS was studied. The results demonstrated that when the capillary was permanently coated with 6,6-ionene and the pH value of acetic acid-ammonium acetate running buffer was 4.80 and 5.50, respectively, a significantly reproducible separation was achieved for rhEPO and uEPO glycoforms. In the online CE-ESI-MS experiments, we not only achieved the online MS signal of uEPO, but also obtained baseline separation of three major rhEPO glycoforms successfully and reproducibly on the 6,6-ionene-coated capillaries. Furthermore, the standard mixture of rhEPO and uEPO was separated, and two incompletely resolved peaks that were identified to be rhEPO and uEPO by the unique MS "fingerprint" were obtained. Additionally, the molecular weight of rhEPO and uEPO were verified and compared to the results by MALDI-TOF-MS. It can be concluded that, in contrast to other indirect methods, the online CE-ESI-MS technique with the combination of the advantages of both CE and MS shows great potential for the separation and detection of rhEPO doping directly in competitive sports.     

Selective sampling of multiply phosphorylated peptides by capillary electrophoresis for electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analysis

The ionization of phosphorylated peptides in positive ion mode mass spectrometry is generally less efficient compared with the ionization of their non-phosphorylated counterparts. This can make phosphopeptides much more difficult to detect. One way to enhance the detection of phosphorylated proteins and peptides is by selectively isolating these species. Current approaches of phosphopeptide isolation are based on the favorable interactions of phosphate groups with immobilized metals. While these methods can be effective in the extraction, they can lead to incomplete sample recovery, particularly for the most strongly bound multiply phosphorylated components. A non-sorptive method of phosphopeptide isolation using capillary electrophoresis (CE) was recently reported [Zhang et al., Anal. Chem. 77 (2005) 6078]. The relatively low isoelectric points of phosphopeptides cause them to remain anionic at acidic sample pH. Hence, they can be selectively injected into the capillary by an applied field after the electroosmotic flow (EOF) is suppressed. The technique was previously coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). In this work, the exploitation of selective sampling in conjugation with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is presented. The transition was not immediately straightforward. A number of major alterations were necessary for ESI interfacing. These adaptations include the choice of a suitable capillary coating for EOF control and the incorporation of organic solvent for efficient ESI. As expected, selective injection of phosphopeptides greatly enhanced the sensitivity of their detection in ESI-MS, particularly for the multiply phosphorylated species that were traditionally most problematic. Furthermore, an electrophoretic separation subsequent to the selective injection of the phosphopeptides was performed prior to analysis by ESI-MS. This allowed us to resolve the multiply phosphorylated peptides present in the samples, predominantly based on the number of phosphorylation sites on the peptides.