Protein secondary structure and stability determined by combining exoproteolysis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

In the post-genomic era, several projects focused on the massive experimental resolution of the three-dimensional structures of all the proteins of different organisms have been initiated. Simultaneously, significant progress has been made in the ab initio prediction of protein three-dimensional structure. One of the keys to the success of such a prediction is the use of local information (i.e. secondary structure). Here we describe a new limited proteolysis methodology, based on the use of unspecific exoproteases coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), to map quickly secondary structure elements of a protein from both ends, the N- and C-termini. We show that the proteolytic patterns (mass spectra series) obtained can be interpreted in the light of the conformation and local stability of the analyzed proteins, a direct correlation being observed between the predicted and the experimentally derived protein secondary structure. Further, this methodology can be easily applied to check rapidly the folding state of a protein and characterize mutational effects on protein conformation and stability. Moreover, given global stability information, this methodology allows one to locate the protein regions of increased or decreased conformational stability. All of this can be done with a small fraction of the amount of protein required by most of the other methods for conformational analysis. Thus limited exoproteolysis, together with MALDI-TOF MS, can be a useful tool to achieve quickly the elucidation of protein structure and stability.     

Derivatization of carboxylic acids with 9-bromomethylacridine using micellar phase-transfer catalysis

Summary Micellar phase-transfer catalysis (MPTC) offers the opportunity to derivatize carboxylic acids directly in an aqueous matrix without prior extraction of the acids into a suitable aprotic solvent. The currently developed MPTC system consists of a non-ionic surfactant, Arkopal N-130, an ion-pair agent, tetrakis-(decyl)-ammonium bromide, and a novel fluorescence reagent, 9-bromomethylacridine. The MPTC system can be applied to the derivatization of many types of carboxylic acids. The reaction rate is affected by the lipophilicity of the acid and by the presence of other functional groups. For lipophilic carboxylic acids the reaction is complete within 5 min at 60°C and pH 7.0.     

流动注射在线液—液萃取原子吸收光谱法测定生物样品中的铅

本文利用所设计的一种新型流动注射液－液萃取重力分相器，建立了流动注射液溶剂萃取原子吸收光谱法测定铅的新方法，详细地研究了流动注射在线萃取的实验条件及流路系统，方法的精密度和检出限分别为２．５％（ｎ＝１１）和２．８μｇ／Ｌ（ｋ＝３）。用拟定的方法测定了峰蛹，粮食等生物样品中的铅，结果与参考值相吻合。     

Mass spectrometric study of thermal stability of copper(II) bis(dipivaloylmethanate) vapour

The processes of thermal destruction of copper(II) bis(dipivaloylmethanate) (Cu(dpm)₂) in the temperature range 150°–550°C were studied by using a two-temperature variant of a double chamber Knudsen cell, with mass spectrometric recording of the gas-phase composition. The temperature range of stability of the vapour of the complex in vacuum was determined, as were those of its mixtures with oxygen in different proportions. The temperature dependence of the rate constant of the thermolysis of (Cu(dpm)₂) vapour was obtained. The thermal stability of Hdpm vapour and the influence of oxygen on the thermolysis of the ligand were studied.

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Zusammenfassung Unter Verwendung einer Zweitemperaturenvariante der Knudsenschen Doppelkammerzelle wurde mittels MS-Untersuchung der Gasphasenzusammensetzung im Temperaturbereich 150°–550°C der thermische Abbau von Kupfer(II)-bis(dipivaloylmethanat) (Cu(dpm)₂) untersucht. Es wurde der Temperaturbereich für die Stabilität der gasförmigen Komplexe in Vakuum sowie in Gemischen mit Sauerstoff in verschiedenen Verhältnissen bestimmt. Dabei wurde die Temperaturabhängigkeit der Geschwindigkeitskonstante für die Thermolyse von Cu(dpm)₂ ermittelt. Weiterhin wurde die thermische Stabilität von Hdpm-Dampf sowie der Einfluß von Sauerstoff auf die Thermolyse der Liganden bestimmt.

     

Tandem GC/MS: A useful tool for studying end-capping reactions of oligo(styryl)lithium anions

Anionic living polymerization methods, using organometallic initiators such as butyllithium reagents, have proven useful for, inter alia, styrene polymerization and are amenable to subsequent functionalization of poly(styryl)lithium in the termination step. In this study, general methods for the selective preparation of small styrene oligomers and termination of the intermediate oligo(styryl)lithium anions were investigated. The crude reaction mixtures were analyzed directly by tandem gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Of the carbon- and silicon-based electrophiles tested, chloro(chloroalkyl)silanes, Cl-SiR₂(CH₂)_nCl in particular, were shown by GC/MS to be regioselective end-capping reagents, thus allowing subsequent transformation to the primary amine. The combined GC/MS data allow not only an estimate of the degree of functionalization, but also the identification of by-products, thus providing insight into the end-capping process that otherwise might be difficult to access. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

一类2(1H)-喹喔啉衍生物的电子轰击质谱分析

以邻苯二胺为原料合成表征了一类喹喔啉衍生物；1-烷基-3-甲基-2（1H）-喹喔啉-2-酮（1-alkyl-3-methly-2(1H)-quinoxalin-2-one，简称AMQ，其中alky=H、CH3、Et、n-C3H5、n-C5H11、n-C16H33)。用电子轰击电离质谱（EI-MS）和核磁共振谱图（^1H-NMR)鉴定了AMQ，研究了不同取代基对这类化合物EI-MS谱图的影响，分析得到一些裂解规律。结果表明：所有样品谱图中均有芳香化合物的特征CnHn^ 系列峰m/z78，65，52，39和（或）m/z77、76、64、63、51、50、38、37。对于末取代的样品及低级烷烃取代的样品，谱图中的基峰为分子离子峰，对于取代基中碳数大于等于3的样品。谱图中的基峰不是分子离子峰，分子离子峰强度随着碳数的增加而降低。这些样品一般容易发生骨架重排，丢失一分子CO，生成1-烷基-2-甲基苯并哒唑正离子。此外，还讨论了谱图中其它的一些碎片离子峰。这对于研究和指导喹喔啉衍生物 的合成，探讨它们在药效及结构特征与生理活性的关系等方面具有重要的应用价值和理论意义。     

QuEChERS/超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法同时测定水产品中四溴双酚A与六溴环十二烷

建立了同时测定水产品中四溴双酚A(TBBPA)和六溴环十二烷(HBCD)的超高效液相色谱-串联质谱方法。样品前处理采用QuEChERS方法,均质生物样品用水分散后加乙腈提取,经C_(18)分散固相萃取净化。采用CORTECS~?C_(18)色谱柱(4.6 mm×100 mm×2.7μm)分离,以甲醇-水为流动相进行梯度洗脱,流速为0.7 mL/min。采用电喷雾离子源,在负离子模式下以多反应监测(MRM)方式检测。结果表明,TBBPA和3种HBCD单体在0.5～500μg/L范围内线性良好,相关系数(r)大于0.998,检出限(LOD,S/N=3)和定量下限(LOQ,S/N=10)分别为0.04～0.16μg/kg和0.12～0.55μg/kg。在5、20、50μg/kg加标水平下的平均回收率为74.0%～121%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为0.20%～23%。该方法操作简单、快速、重现性好,适用于水产品中TBBPA和HBCD的快速检测。     

Simultaneous Determination of Oxytetra- cycline, Doxycycline, Tetracycline and Chlortetracycline in Tetracycline Antibiotics by High-Performance Liquid Chromatog- raphy with Fluorescence Detection

A simple, rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method with fluorescence detection for the simultaneous determination of oxytetracycline, doxycycline, tetracycline and chlortetracycline was developed, and successfully applied to the analysis of commercial tetracycline antibiotics. The separation was performed on a reverse-phase C₁₈ column with a gradient elution composed of methanol and sodium acetate buffer (containing disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate and calcium chloride, pH 8.10) as the mobile phase, and fluorescence detection at 532 nm (excitation at 380 nm). The detection limits for oxytetracycline, doxycycline, tetracycline and chlortetracycline were 0.1, 0.5, 0.3 and 0.4 g L^–1, respectively. Data with respect to precision and accuracy were reported and discussed.     

咪喹莫特的波谱学数据与结构表征

对咪喹莫特的红外(IR)、紫外(UV)、质谱(MS)、氢-氢相关谱(^1H--^1H COSY)、碳氢相关谱(HMQC)、碳氢远程相关谱(HMBC)予以解析并进行了报道。对所有的^1H NMR、^13C NMR谱的信号进行了归属；讨论了质谱的主要碎片离子的可能的裂解方式和红外特征吸收峰所对应的官能团的振动形式。