Rapid analysis of the major classes of retinoids by step gradient reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using retinal (O-ethyl) oxime derivatives

A rapid step-gradient reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method is presented for analysis of the major classes of retinoids in tissues. Retinal was converted into a new derivative, retinal (O-ethyl) oxime, since the standard derivative, retinaloxime, co-elutes with retinol on reversed-phase HPLC. The most abundant naturally occurring retinyl esters, retinyl palmitate and retinyl stearate, were eluted within 12 min to complete the separation. Retinoids were extracted in the presence of an antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene, and a lipid carrier, cholesterol. Recoveries of 98-100% were obtained from tissue samples by internal addition for the retinoids tested (retinol, retinal and retinyl palmitate); and the absolute recovery of endogenous retinal from rat eyecups was confirmed by spectrophotometric measurements of rhodopsin. Extraction was carried out in an air atmosphere and under subdued incandescent light rather than requiring inert atmosphere and safe-light conditions used in most methods. Cis-trans isomers were not separated under the reversed-phase HPLC conditions employed. Quantitation was carried out using retinyl acetate as internal standard and the day to day precision was better than 3.5%. A sensitivity of about 1 ng is obtained for all retinoids using absorbance monitoring at 325 nm and a C18 5 micrometers column with 12% reversed-phase loading. The tocopherols can also be separated and detected simultaneously with similar sensitivity by this method using a fluorescence detector in series [G. J. Handelman, L. J. Machlin, K. Fitch, J. J. Weiter and E. A. Dratz, J. Nutr., 115 (1985) 807].     

Quantitative evaluation of sample application methods for semipreparative separations of basic proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis

The use of cup-loading for sample application has become widely used in two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) for resolution of basic proteins, but no side-by-side quantitative study has been published which compares cup-loading with the alternative passive and active rehydration methods to fully promote one type of loading method over another. Replicate 2-D gels from each loading method were quantitatively evaluated for gel-to-gel reproducibility using IPG 6-11 strips and semipreparative protein loads (300 microg). Gels were stained with SYPRO Ruby and analyzed with PDQuest. An inexpensive home-made assembly for cup-loading was used with the Protean IEF Cell for separation of whole cell extracts from the archaeon, Sulfolobus solfataricus. Cup-loading was determined to be far superior for IPG 6-11 separations than active or passive rehydration methods. Cup-loading consistently produced the greatest number of detectable spots, the best spot matching efficiency (56%), lowest spot quantity variations (28% coefficient of variation, CV), and the best-looking gels qualitatively. The least satisfactory results were obtained with active rehydration, followed closely by passive rehydration in off-line tubes. Passive rehydration experiments, performed using an on-line isoelectric focusing (IEF) tray, produced comparable spot numbers to cup-loading (84%), with 55% of the spots having higher intensity but 10% more spot quantity variance than cup-loading.     

KINETICS OF RHODOPSIN PHOTOLYSIS INTERMEDIATES IN RETINAL ROD DISK MEMBRANES—I. TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF LUMIRHODOPSIN AND METARHODOPSIN I KINETICS

Abstract— Kinetic measurements have been carried out on rhodopsin photolysis intermediates in retinal rod membrane suspensions on a millisecond time scale over a wide spectral range at 10, 20 and 36°C. To adequately account for the data we find that a three exponential fit is required at most wavelengths and temperatures investigated. The fastest component at 380, 420, 480, 515 and 540 nm is due to the lumirhodopsin → metarhodopsin I transition. The slowest process is not isochromic with the larger amplitude process found on the metarhodopsin I → metarhodopsin II time scale. The properties of the larger amplitude slow component are identical with the classical metarhodopsin I → metarhodopsin II process. Effects of various experimental conditions are discussed. It is shown that scattered light, in particular, can significantly affect the measured kinetics. For example, sonication, low salt and refractive index matching reduce light scattering and increase the contribution of the lumirhodopsin → metarhodopsin I reaction to the absorption transients. Care must also be taken in the analysis because the isosbestic wavelengths in the spectral transients are highly temperature dependent. For example, the lumirhodopsin–metarhodopsin I isosbestic is 490–500 nm at 10°C, 480–490 nm at 20°C and to the blue of 470 nm at 36°C. Activation energies of 77.8, 130.9 and 101.3 kJ/mol were found for the lumirhodopsin → metarhodopsin I, the metarhodopsin I → metarhodopsin II and the slow millisecond processes, respectively. All three processes contribute to the signals at lower temperatures. The amplitude of the slowest component decreases as the temperature is raised, and at physiological temperature its amplitude is essentially negligible compared to the metarhodopsin I → metarhodopsin II reaction. The lumirhodopsin → metarhodopsin I reaction makes a large contribution to the amplitude of the signals at most wavelengths observed from 380–540 nm, especially at physiological temperatures. At physiological temperatures the decay rates of lumirhodopsin and metarhodopsin I are within a factor of three of each other. Thus, lumirhodopsin decay may be much more important for visual transduction than suggested by low temperature studies. In contrast to reports of several other laboratories we have no evidence for kinetic complexity in the metarhodopsin I → metarhodopsin II reaction.     

Infrared, surface-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry on frozen aqueous solutions of proteins and peptides using suspensions of organic solids

Surface-assisted, laser desorption ionization (SALDI) time-of-flight mass spectra of proteins and peptides have been obtained from bulk frozen aqueous solutions by adding solid organic powders to the solutions before freezing. Abundant analyte ions were obtained with a 3.28 µm Nd:YAG/OPO laser. 20 compounds were evaluated as solid additives, and 16 yielded protein mass spectra. Successful solids included compounds like pyrene, aspartic acid, and polystyrene. The best results were obtained with nicotinic acid and indole-2-carboxylic acid, which yielded protein mass spectra anywhere on the sample and with every laser shot. Compared with ultraviolet-matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization on the same instrument, cryo-IR-SALDI had a comparable detection limit (≈1 µM), a lower mass resolution for peptides, and a higher mass resolution for large proteins. Approximately 2500 cryo-IR-SALDI mass spectra were obtained from a single spot on a 0.3-mm-thick frozen sample before the metal surface was reached. About 0.1 nL of frozen solution was desorbed per laser shot. The extent of protein charging varied between the SALDI solids used. With thymine, myoglobin charge states up to MH ₁₂ ⁺¹² were observed. It is tentatively concluded that observed ions are preformed in the frozen sample.