The use of proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry for high throughput screening of terpene synthases

In this work, we introduce the application of proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) for the selection of improved terpene synthase mutants. In comparison with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based methods, PTR-MS could offer advantages by reduction of sample preparation steps and analysis time. The method we propose here allows for minimal sample preparation and analysis time and provides a promising platform for the high throughput screening (HTS) of large enzyme mutant libraries. To investigate the feasibility of a PTR-MS-based screening method, we employed a small library of Callitropsis nootkatensis valencene synthase (CnVS) mutants. Bacterial cultures expressing enzyme mutants were subjected to different growth formats, and headspace terpenes concentrations measured by PTR-Qi-ToF-MS were compared with GC-MS, to rank the activity of the enzyme mutants. For all cultivation formats, including 96 deep well plates, PTR-Qi-ToF-MS resulted in the same ranking of the enzyme variants, compared with the canonical format using 100 mL flasks and GC-MS analysis. This study provides a first basis for the application of rapid PTR-Qi-ToF-MS detection, in combination with multi-well formats, in HTS screening methods for the selection of highly productive terpene synthases.     

质子转移反应质谱在线检测痕量挥发性有机物

质子转移反应质谱是近年来兴起的一种痕量挥发性有机物在线检测技术,它可以在秒量级的时间内获得ppt量级的探测灵敏度,已经广泛的应用在环境污染监测、医学诊断、食品成分和质量检验等领域。本文介绍了它的工作原理和装置结构,给出了一些痕量挥发性有机物检测的例子,以及作者实验室使用该技术检测挥发性有机物的初步研究结果,并对该在线检测技术的发展方向进行了展望。     

质子转移反应质谱对肺癌患者呼气中特征性VOCs的筛选及研究

利用质子转移反应质谱(PTR-MS)对40名肺癌患者、32名健康志愿者呼出气体中的挥发性有机物(VOCs)进行检测,Mann-Whitney秩和检验与多因素logistic回归的结果表明,呼气中VOC 33、VOC 39、VOC 45可能为肺癌人群的呼气标志物,同时VOC 45在小细胞肺癌和非小细胞肺癌患者之间存在显著差异。以肺癌人群的呼气标志物作为自变量,采用二元logistic回归分析和Fisher判别分析分别建立肺癌预测模型。logistic回归模型的受试者工作曲线下面积(AUC)达到0.878,灵敏度和特异性分别为85.5%和63.5%。Fisher判别模型的受试者工作曲线下面积(AUC)达到0.822,灵敏度和特异性分别为82.5%和62.5%。两种模型对肺癌的预测均具有统计学意义。     

Direct, rapid quantitative analyses of BVOCs using SIFT-MS and PTR-MS obviating sample collection

The purpose of this short review is to describe the origins and the principles of operation of selected-ion flow-tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) and proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), and their application to the analysis of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in ambient air, the humid air (headspace) above biological samples, and other samples. We briefly review the ion chemistry that underpins these analytical methods, which allows accurate analyses. We pay attention to the inherently uncomplicated sampling methodologies that allow on-line, real-time analyses, obviating sample collection into bags or onto traps, which can compromise samples.Whilst these techniques have been applied successfully to the analysis of a wide variety of media, we give just a few examples of data, including for the analysis of BVOCs that are present in tropospheric air and those emitted by plants, in exhaled breath and in the headspace above cell and bacterial cultures (which assist clinical diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring), and the products of combustion. The very wide dynamic ranges of real-time analyses of BVOCs in air achieved by SIFT-MS and PTR-MS - from sub-ppbv to tens of ppmv - ensure that these analytical methods will be applied to many other media, especially when combined with gas-chromatography methods, as recently trialed.     

TATP的质子转移反应的质谱研究

利用密度泛函理论(DFT), 在B3LYP/cc-pVDZ水平上, 对三过氧化三丙酮(Triacetone triperoxide, TATP)及其质子化离子[TATP+H]+进行了构型优化和质子亲和势(Proton Affinity, PA)计算, 研究结果表明, PA(TATP)=866.73 kJ/mol大于PA(H2O)=691.0 kJ/mol, TATP与H3O+可发生质子转移反应. 在自行研制的质子转移反应质谱(Proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry, PTR-MS) 装置上, 研究了TATP与H3O+反应生成的特征离子. 当漂移管中E/N=1.4×10-15 V·cm2时, 在荷质比m/z=91, 75, 74, 59, 43等处观察到了产物离子. 降低E/N至0.5×10-15 V·cm2后, 在m/z=223处观察到了质子化产物离子([TATP+H]+), 验证了计算结果; 结合[TATP+H]+的构型, 分析了TATP质子转移反应产物离子可能的归属及其形成过程. 结合PTR-MS漂移管内E/N的改变引起m/z=223, 91, 43等离子的变化特征, 可实现TATP的准确识别和快速定量检测, 检测下限达到5.0×10-10 mol/L(±50%).     

高血糖人群呼气标志物的质子转移反应质谱研究

利用自制的质子转移反应质谱(PTR-MS)探索了高血糖人群呼气特征挥发性有机物(VOCs),利用改进的呼气分析系统对70名血糖含量正常志愿者与22名高血糖志愿者的呼气进行实时在线分析,数据统计分析采用Mann-Whitney U非参数检验和线性判别分析法。实验结果表明两组受试者呼气存在5种差异VOCs,该5种VOCs的质荷比(m/z)分别为61、31、120、104、82。其线性判别模型的受试者工作曲线(Re-ceiver operating curve,ROC)下面积达到0.926,灵敏度和特异度分别为86.4%和84.3%,该模型有一定的诊断价值。考察了两组志愿者呼气中丙酮含量的分布情况,统计分析结果显示两组的丙酮含量无显著性差异,丙酮含量与血糖浓度间也无显著相关性。     

Rapid characterization of dry cured ham produced following different PDOs by proton transfer reaction time of flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS)

In the present study, the recently developed proton transfer reaction time of flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) technique was used for the rapid characterization of dry cured hams produced according to 4 of the most important Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs): an Iberian one (Dehesa de Extremadura) and three Italian ones (Prosciutto di San Daniele, Prosciutto di Parma and Prosciutto Toscano). In total, the headspace composition and respective concentration for nine Spanish and 37 Italian dry cured ham samples were analyzed by direct injection without any pre-treatment or pre-concentration. Firstly, we show that the rapid PTR-ToF-MS fingerprinting in conjunction with chemometrics (Principal Components Analysis) indicates a good separation of the dry cured ham samples according to their production process and that it is possible to set up, using data mining methods, classification models with a high success rate in cross validation. Secondly, we exploited the higher mass resolution of the new PTR-ToF-MS, as compared with standard quadrupole based versions, for the identification of the exact sum formula of the mass spectrometric peaks providing analytical information on the observed differences. The work indicates that PTR-ToF-MS can be used as a rapid method for the identification of differences among dry cured hams produced following the indications of different PDOs and that it provides information on some of the major volatile compounds and their link with the implemented manufacturing practices such as rearing system, salting and curing process, manufacturing practices that seem to strongly affect the final volatile organic profile and thus the perceived quality of dry cured ham.     

Effects of carbon dioxide in breath gas on proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) measurements

PTR-MS is becoming a common method for the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in human breath. Breath gas contains substantial and, particularly for bag samples, highly variable concentrations of water vapour (up to 6.3%) and carbon dioxide (up to 6.5%). The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of carbon dioxide on PTR-MS measurements; such effects can be expected in view of the already well known effects of water vapour. Carbon dioxide caused an increase of the pressure in the PTR-MS drift tube (1% increase for 5% CO₂), and this effect was used to assess the CO₂ concentration of breath gas samples along the way with the analysis of VOCs. Carbon dioxide enhanced the concentration ratio of protonated water clusters (H₃O⁺H₂O) to protonated water (H₃O⁺) in the drift tube. Using the observed increase, being 60% for 5% CO₂, it is estimated that the mobility of water cluster ions in pure CO₂ is almost 65% lower than in air. Carbon dioxide had a significant effect on the mass spectra of the main breath gas components methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, acetone, and isoprene. Carbon dioxide caused a small increase (<10% for 5% CO₂) of the normalised main signals for the non-fragmenting molecules methanol and acetone. The increase can be much higher for the fragmenting VOCs (ethanol, propanol, and isoprene) and was, for 5% CO₂, up to 60% for ethanol. This effect of CO₂ on fragment patterns is mainly a consequence of the increased abundance of protonated water clusters, which undergo softer reactions with VOCs than the hydronium ions. Breath gas samples stored in Teflon bags lost 80% of CO₂ during 3 days, the decrease of VOC signals, however, is mainly attributed to decreasing VOC concentrations and to the loss of humidity from the bags.