Infrared spectra of protonated uracil, thymine and cytosine

Advancements in Mid-Infrared spectroscopy of extracellular vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid vesicles secreted by all cells into the extracellular space and act as nanosized biological messengers among cells. They carry a specific molecular cargo, composed of lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates, which reflects the state of their parent cells. Due to their remarkable structural and compositional heterogeneity, characterizing EVs, particularly from a biochemical perspective, presents complex challenges. In this context, mid-infrared (IR) spectroscopy is emerging as a valuable tool, providing researchers with a comprehensive and label-free spectral fingerprint of EVs in terms of their specific molecular content. This review aims to provide an up-to-date critical overview of the major advancements in mid-IR spectroscopy of extracellular vesicles, encompassing both fundamental and applied research achievements. We also systematically emphasize the new possibilities offered by the integration of emerging cutting-edge IR technologies, such as tip-enhanced and surface-enhanced spectroscopy approaches, along with the growing use of machine learning for data analysis and spectral interpretation. Additionally, to assist researchers in navigating this intricate subject, our manuscript includes a wide and detailed collection of the spectral peaks that have been assigned to EV molecular constituents up to now in the literature.

OH Radical-Induced Oxidation in Nucleosides and Nucleotides Unraveled by Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Infrared Multiple Photon Dissociation Spectroscopy

OH⋅-induced oxidation products of DNA nucleosides and nucleotides have been structurally characterized by collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (CID-MS2 ) and Infrared Multiple Photon Dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy. CID-MS2 results have shown that the addition of one oxygen atom occurs on the nucleobase moiety. The gas-phase geometries of +16 mass increment products of 2'-deoxyadenosine (dA(O)H+ ), 2'-deoxyadenosine 5'-monophosphate (dAMP(O)H+ ), 2'-deoxycytidine (dC(O)H+ ), and 2'-deoxycytidine 5'-monophosphate (dCMP(O)H+ ) are extensively investigated by IRMPD spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations. We show that a carbonyl group is formed at the C8 position after oxidation of 2'-deoxyadenosine and its monophosphate derivative. For 2'-deoxycytidine and its monophosphate derivative, the oxygen atom is added to the C5 position to form a C-OH group. IRMPD spectroscopy has been employed for the first time to provide direct structural information on oxidative lesions in DNA model systems.

Methods to functionalize gold nanoparticles with tandem-phosphorothioate DNA: role of physicochemical properties of the phosphorothioate backbone in DNA adsorption to gold nanoparticles

Perception of the differences in the physicochemical properties of phosphorothioate DNA (PS-DNA) and phosphodiester DNA (PO-DNA) greatly aids in understanding the AuNP-DNA binding process. Replacing one non-bridging oxygen atom of the anionic phosphodiester backbone with a sulfur atom leads to a major change in the DNA adsorption mechanism of AuNPs. In this work, we investigated and compared salt-aging, low pH-assisted, and freeze-thaw methods for conjugating phosphorothioate-modified oligonucleotides to AuNPs. The results obtained clearly demonstrate that only the pH-assisted method can successfully bind tandem phosphorothioate DNA to gold nanoparticles and sufficiently maintain the colloidal stability of AuNPs. When a phosphate group is converted to a phosphorothioate group, the negative charge of the phosphate group is located on the sulfur atom. Due to the soft nature of sulfur (a very weak H-bond acceptor), the negative charge on the sulfur atom cannot be shielded even with the gradual addition of salt to increase the ionic strength, so, the pH-assisted based method is the best for the functionalization of AuNPs with tandem-PS DNA.

5-Halogenation of Uridine Suppresses Protonation-Induced Tautomerization and Enhances Glycosidic Bond Stability of Protonated Uridine: Investigations via IRMPD Action Spectroscopy, ER-CID Experiments, and Theoretical Calculations

Uridine (Urd), a canonical nucleoside of RNA, is the most commonly modified nucleoside among those that occur naturally. Uridine has also been an important target for the development of modified nucleoside analogues for pharmaceutical applications. In this work, the effects of 5-halogenation of uracil on the structures and glycosidic bond stabilities of protonated uridine nucleoside analogues are examined using tandem mass spectrometry and computational methods. Infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy experiments and theoretical calculations are performed to probe the structural influences of these modifications. Energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation experiments along with survival yield analyses are performed to probe glycosidic bond stability. The measured IRMPD spectra are compared to linear IR spectra predicted for the stable low-energy conformations of these species computed at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory to determine the conformations experimentally populated. Spectral signatures in the IR fingerprint and hydrogen-stretching regions allow the 2,4-dihydroxy protonated tautomers (T) and O4- and O2-protonated conformers to be readily differentiated. Comparisons between the measured and predicted spectra indicate that parallel to findings for uridine, both T and O4-protonated conformers of the 5-halouridine nucleoside analogues are populated, whereas O2-protonated conformers are not. Variations in yields of the spectral signatures characteristic of the T and O4-protonated conformers indicate that the extent of protonation-induced tautomerization is suppressed as the size of the halogen substituent increases. Trends in the energy-dependence of the survival yield curves find that 5-halogenation strengthens the glycosidic bond and that the enhancement in stability increases with the size of the halogen substituent.

Open questions on toxic heavy metals Cd, Hg and Pb binding small components of DNA and nucleobases. Are there any predictable trends?

In this perspective article, we provide a bibliographic compilation of experimental and theoretical work on Cd, Hg, and Pb, and analyze in detail the bonding of M²⁺ and CH₃M⁺ (M = Zn, Cd, Hg, Pb) with urea and thiourea as suitable models for larger biochemical bases. Through the use of DFT calculations, we have found that although in principle binding energies decrease according to ionic size (Zn²⁺ > Cd²⁺ > Pb²⁺), Hg²⁺ largely breaks the trend. Through the use of EDA (Energy Decomposition Analysis) it is possible to explain this behavior, which is essentially due to the strong contribution of polarization to the binding. This conclusion is ratified by the NEDA (Natural Energy Decomposition Analysis) formalism, showing that the charge transfer term is very large in all cases, but particularly in the case of the mercury-thiourea system. The general trends observed for the interactions with CH₃M⁺ monocations show however CH₃Hg⁺ binding energies systematically smaller than the CH₃Zn⁺ ones, likely because the relativistic contraction of the Hg orbitals is very much attenuated by the attachment to the methyl group. Finally, we have investigated the gas-phase reactivity between EtHg⁺ and uracil to compare it with that exhibited by CH₃Hg⁺ and n-ButHg⁺ previously described in the literature. This comparison gathers new information that highlights the importance of the length of the alkyl chain attached to the metal on the mechanisms of these reactions. For methyl mercury, only the alkyl transfer process is allowed; for butyl mercury, protonation is clearly favored, and for ethyl mercury, both paths are competitive experimentally.

Studying the Key Intermediate of RNA Autohydrolysis by Cryogenic Gas-Phase Infrared Spectroscopy

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA-based vaccines have gained tremendous importance. The development and analysis of modified RNA molecules benefit from advanced mass spectrometry and require sufficient understanding of fragmentation processes. Analogous to the degradation of RNA in solution by autohydrolysis, backbone cleavage of RNA strands was equally observed in the gas phase; however, the fragmentation mechanism remained elusive. In this work, autohydrolysis-like intermediates were generated from isolated RNA dinucleotides in the gas phase and investigated using cryogenic infrared spectroscopy in helium nanodroplets. Data from both experiment and density functional theory provide evidence for the formation of a five-membered cyclic phosphate intermediate and rule out linear or six-membered structures. Furthermore, the experiments show that another prominent condensed-phase reaction of RNA nucleotides can be induced in the gas phase: the tautomerization of cytosine. Both observed reactions are therefore highly universal and intrinsic properties of the investigated molecules.

Inter- and Intramolecular Proton Transfer in an Isolated (Cytosine-Guanine)H+ Pair: Direct Evidence from IRMPD Spectroscopy

The collision-induced dissociation of the protonated cytosine-guanine pair was studied using tandem mass spectrometry (MS³) coupled to infrared multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy with the free electron laser at Orsay (CLIO) to determine the structure of the CH⁺ and GH⁺ ionic fragments. The results were rationalized with the help of electronic structure calculations at the density functional theory level with the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,2p) method. Several tautomers of each fragment were identified for the first time, some of which were previously predicted by other authors. In addition, two unexpected and minor tautomers were also found: cytosine keto-imino [CKI(1,2,3,4)H⁺] and guanine keto-amino [GKA(1,3,7)H⁺]. These results highlight the importance of the DNA base tautomerization assisted by inter- and intramolecular proton or hydrogen transfer within the protonated pairs.

Revealing the Hydrogen Bonding Interaction of DNA with Unnatural Bases via Plasmonic Antenna Enhanced Infrared Spectroscopy

The incorporation of unnatural bases in DNA programming can break through the limits of Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen base pairing to expand the diversity of DNA structures. Thus, understanding the interaction between DNA and unnatural bases is of great importance in DNA nanotechnology. Here, we propose an approach of plasmonic antenna enhanced infrared spectroscopy to study the hydrogen bonding interaction between poly(thymine) DNA (poly T DNA) and melamine. The formation of multiple hydrogen bonds between melamine and thymine of poly T DNA is revealed by the appearance of a new infrared (IR) feature of the NH₂ deformation vibration at 1680 cm^-1. The binding rate constant (k_b) and the dissociation rate constant (k_d) of the affinity reaction reach 39.70 M^-1·s^-1 and 4.49 × 10^-5 s^-1, respectively. This work offers a valuable IR technique to study DNA nanostructures at the molecular level, providing unique physicochemical views of the interaction mechanism between DNA and unnatural bases in DNA programming.

Guanine Tautomerism in Ionic Complexes with Ag+ Investigated by IRMPD Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry

In this paper, we present the IRMPD spectra of three ionic complexes between guanine (G) and silver (Ag⁺): [GAg-H₂O]⁺, [GAgG]⁺ produced in the electrospray ionization source of the mass spectrometer, and [GAg]⁺ produced by collision induced dissociation of the [GAgG]⁺ complex. On the basis of the comparison of theoretically calculated IR spectra, we show that there are two isomers of each complex containing two different keto-amino (KA) tautomers of G (GKA(1,9) and GKA(1,7)). The observed isomers are the most stable structures in aqueous solution, and their experimentally estimated relative populations are in better agreement with the calculated relative populations in solution than in the gas phase, both at 298 K. We concluded that these observations suggest that GKA(1,9) and GKA(1,7) coexist in solution according to previous theoretical reports (Colominas, C.; et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 6811). We were unable to find any evidence of the presence of the GEA(9), GKA(3,7), GKA(3,9), or GKA(7,9), whose relative stabilities in solution are strongly dependent on the theoretical method used to account for the solvent effect (Hanus, M.; et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 7678).

Theoretical insights on the excited-state-deactivation mechanisms of protonated thymine and cytosine

Ab initio and surface-hopping nonadiabatic dynamics simulation methods were employed to investigate relaxation mechanisms in protonated thymine (TH⁺) and cytosine (CH⁺). A few conical intersections were located between ¹ππ* and S₀ states for each system with the CASSCF (8,8) theoretical model and relevant contributions to the deactivation mechanism of titled systems were addressed by the determination of potential energy profiles at the CASPT2 (12,10) theoretical level. It was revealed that the relaxation of the ¹ππ* state of the most stable conformer of both systems to the ground state is mostly governed by the accessible S₁/S₀ conical intersection resulting from the barrier-free out-of-plane deformation. Interestingly, it was exhibited that the ring puckering coordinate driven from the C₆ position of the heterocycle ring in TH⁺ and CH⁺ plays the most prominent role in the deactivation mechanism of considered systems. Our ab initio results are also supported by excited-state nonadiabatic dynamics simulations based on ADC(2), describing the ultrashort S₁ lifetime of TH⁺/CH⁺ by analyzing trajectories leading excited systems to the ground. It was confirmed that the excited-state population mostly relaxes to the ground via the ring puckering coordinate from the C₆ moiety. Overall, the theoretical results of this study shed light on the deactivation mechanism of protonated DNA bases.

Infrared Multiple Photon Dissociation Spectroscopy of Protonated Cyameluric Acid

The present study reports the first structural characterization of protonated cyameluric acid ([CA + H]⁺) in the gas phase, which paves the way for prospective bottom-up research on the condensed-phase chemistry of CA in the protonated form. A number of [CA + H]⁺ keto-enol isomers can a priori be produced as a result of protonation at available N and O positions of precursor neutral CA tautomers, yet ab initio computations predict different reduced [CA + H]⁺ isomer populations dominating the solution and gas phases that are involved in the ion generation process (i.e., electrospray ionization). Infrared multiple photon dissociation spectra were recorded in the 990-1900 and 3300-3650 cm^-1 regions and compared with theoretical [B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)] IR absorption spectra of several [CA + H]⁺ isomers, providing a satisfactory agreement for the most stable monohydroxy form in the gas phase, [1358a]⁺, yet the contribution of its nearly isoenergetic OH rotamer, [1358b]⁺, cannot be neglected. This is indicative of the occurrence of [CA + H]⁺ isomer interconversion reactions, assisted by protic solvent molecules, during their transfer into the gas phase. The results suggest that available O positions on neutral CA are energetically favored protonation sites in the gas phase.

Excited State Deactivation Mechanism in Protonated Uracil: New Insights from Theoretical Studies

We have conducted here a theoretical exploration, discussing the distinct excited state lifetimes reported experimentally for the two lowest lying protonated isomers of uracil. In this regard, the first-principal computational levels as well as the nonadiabatic surface hopping dynamics have been employed. It has been revealed that relaxation of the ¹ππ* state of enol-enol form (EE⁺) to the ground is barrier-free via out-of-plane coordinates, resulting in an ultrashort S₁ lifetime of this species. For the second most stable isomer (EK⁺), however, a significant barrier predicted in the CASPT2 S₁ potential energy profile along the twisting coordinate has been proposed to explain the relevant long lifetime reported experimentally.

A vibrational spectroscopic and computational study of gaseous protonated and alkali metal cationized G-C base pairs

The structures and properties of metal cationized complexes of 9-ethylguanine (9eG) and 1-methylcytosine (1mC), (9eG:1mC)M⁺, where M⁺ = Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺ as well as the protonated complex, (9eG:1mC)H⁺, have been studied using a combination of IRMPD spectroscopy and computational methods. For (9eG:1mC)H⁺, the dominant structure is a Hoogsteen type complex with the proton covalently bound to N3 of 1mC despite this being the third best protonation site of the two bases; based on proton affinities N7 of 9eG should be protonated. However, this structural oddity can be explained considering both the number of hydrogen bonds that can be formed when N3 of 1mC is protonated as well as the strong ion-induced dipole interaction that exists between an N3 protonated 1mC and 9eG due to the higher polarizability of 9eG. The anomalous dissociation of (9eG:1mC)H⁺, forming much more (1mC)H⁺ than would be predicted based on the computed thermochemistry, can be explained as being due to the structural oddity of the protonation site and that the barrier to proton transfer from N3 of 1mC to N7 of 9eG grows dramatically as the base pair begins to dissociate. For the (9eG:1mC)M⁺; M = Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺ complexes, single unique structures could not be assigned. However, the experimental spectra were consistent with the computed spectra. For (9eG:1mC)Li⁺, the lowest energy structure is one in which Li⁺ is bound to O6 of 9eG and both O2 and N3 of 1mC; there is also an interbase hydrogen bond from the amine of 1mC to N7 of 9eG. For Na⁺, K⁺, and Rb⁺, similar binding of the metal cation to 1mC is calculated but, unlike Li⁺, the lowest energy structure is one in which the metal cation is bound to N7 of 9eG; there is also an interbase hydrogen bond between the amine of 1mC and the carbonyl of 9eG. The lowest energy structure for the Cs complex is the Watson-Crick type base pairing with Cs⁺ binding only to 9eG through O6 and N7 and with three hydrogen bonds between 9eG and 1mC. It also interesting to note that the Watson-Crick base pairing structure gets lower in Gibbs energy relative to the lowest energy complexes as the metal gets larger. This indicates that the smaller, more densely charged cations have a greater propensity to interfere with Watson-Crick base pairing than do the larger, less densely charged metal cations.

Insights into Cisplatin Binding to Uracil and Thiouracils from IRMPD Spectroscopy and Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The monofunctional primary complexes cis-[PtCl(NH₃)₂(L)]⁺, formed by the reaction of cisplatin, a major chemotherapeutic agent, with four nucleobases L, i.e., uracil (U), 2-thiouracil (2SU), 4-thiouracil (4SU), and 2,4-dithiouracil (24dSU), have been studied by a combination of infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy in both the fingerprint (900-1900 cm^-1) and the N-H/O-H stretching (3000-3800 cm^-1) ranges, energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectrometry, and density functional calculations at the B3LYP/LACVP/6-311G** level. On the basis of the comparison across the experimental features and the linear IR spectra of conceivable structures, the cisplatin residue is found to promote a monodentate interaction preferentially with the O4(S4) atoms of the canonical forms of U, 4SU, and 24dSU and to the S2 atom of 2SU, yielding the most stable structures. Additional absorptions reveal the presence of minor, alternative tautomers in the sampled ion populations of 2SU and 24dSU, underlying the ability of cisplatin to increase the prospect of (therapeutically beneficial) nucleic acid strand disorder. Implication of these evidence may provide insights into drug mechanism and design.

Collision-Induced Dissociation Studies of Protonated Ions of Alkylated Thymidine and 2'-Deoxyguanosine

Mass spectrometry and tandem MS (MS/MS) have been widely employed for the identification and quantification of damaged nucleosides in DNA, including those induced by alkylating agents. Upon collisional activation, protonated ions of alkylated nucleosides frequently undergo facile neutral loss of a 2-deoxyribose in MS/MS, and further cleavage of the resulting protonated nucleobases in MS³ can sometimes be employed for differentiating regioisomeric alkylated DNA lesions. Herein, we investigated systematically the collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the protonated ions of O⁴-alkylthymidine (O⁴-alkyldT), O²-alkyldT, O⁶-alkyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (O⁶-alkyldG), and N²-alkyldG through MS³ analysis. The MS³ of O²- and O⁴-MedT exhibit different fragmentation patterns from each other and from other O²- and O⁴-alkyldT adducts carrying larger alkyl groups. Meanwhile, elimination of alkene via a six-membered ring transition state is the dominant fragmentation pathway for O²-alkyldT, O⁴-alkyldT, and O⁶-alkyldG adducts carrying larger alkyl groups, whereas O⁶-MedG mainly undergoes elimination of ammonia. The breakdown of N²-alkyldG is substantially influenced by the structure of the alkyl group, where the relative ease in eliminating ammonia and alkene is modulated by the chain length and branching of the alkyl groups. We also rationalize our observations with density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

An IRMPD spectroscopic and computational study of protonated guanine-containing mismatched base pairs in the gas phase

Infrared multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy has been used to probe the structures of the three protonated base-pair mismatches containing 9-ethylguanine (9eG) in the gas phase. Some of these protonated base-pairs have been identified in RNA.

Guanine–adenine interactions in DNA tetranucleotide cation radicals revealed by UV/vis photodissociation action spectroscopy and theory

Hydrogen-rich cation radicals (GATT + 2H)⁺˙ and (AGTT + 2H)⁺˙ represent oligonucleotide models of charged hydrogen atom adducts to DNA.

Impact of Sodium Cationization on Gas-Phase Conformations of DNA and RNA Cytidine Mononucleotides

Gas-phase conformations of the sodium-cationized forms of the 2'-deoxycytidine and cytidine mononucleotides, [pdCyd+Na]⁺ and [pCyd+Na]⁺, are examined by infrared multiple photon dissociation action spectroscopy. Complimentary electronic structure calculations at the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p)//B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory provide candidate conformations and their respective predicted IR spectra for comparison across the IR fingerprint and hydrogen-stretching regions. Comparisons of the predicted IR spectra and the measured infrared multiple photon dissociation action spectra provide insight into the impact of sodium cationization on intrinsic mononucleotide structure. Further, comparison of present results with those reported for the sodium-cationized cytidine nucleoside analogues elucidates the impact of the phosphate moiety on gas-phase structure. Across the neutral, protonated, and sodium-cationized cytidine mononucleotides, a preference for stabilization of the phosphate moiety and nucleobase orientation is observed, although the details of this stabilization differ with the state of cationization. Several low-energy conformations of [pdCyd+Na]⁺ and [pCyd+Na]⁺ involving several different orientations of the phosphate moiety and sugar puckering modes are observed experimentally.

Structures and Relative Glycosidic Bond Stabilities of Protonated 2'-Fluoro-Substituted Purine Nucleosides

The 2'-substituent is the primary distinguishing feature between DNA and RNA nucleosides. Modifications to this critical position, both naturally occurring and synthetic, can produce biologically valuable nucleoside analogues. The unique properties of fluorine make it particularly interesting and medically useful as a synthetic nucleoside modification. In this work, the effects of 2'-fluoro modification on the protonated gas-phase purine nucleosides are examined using complementary tandem mass spectrometry and computational methods. Direct comparisons are made with previous studies on related nucleosides. Infrared multiple photon dissociation action spectroscopy performed in both the fingerprint and hydrogen-stretching regions allows for the determination of the experimentally populated conformations. The populated conformers of protonated 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenosine, [Adofl+H]⁺, and 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxyguanosine, [Guofl+H]⁺, are highly parallel to their respective canonical DNA and RNA counterparts. Both N3 and N1 protonation sites are accessed by [Adofl+H]⁺, stabilizing syn and anti nucleobase orientations, respectively. N7 protonation and anti nucleobase orientation dominates in [Guofl+H]⁺. Spectroscopically observable intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions with fluorine allow more definitive sugar puckering determinations than possible for the canonical systems. [Adofl+H]⁺ adopts C2'-endo sugar puckering, whereas [Guofl+H]⁺ adopts both C2'-endo and C3'-endo sugar puckering. Energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation experiments with survival yield analyses provide relative glycosidic bond stabilities. The N-glycosidic bond stabilities of the protonated 2'-fluoro-substituted purine nucleosides are found to exceed those of their canonical analogues. Further, the N-glycosidic bond stability is found to increase with increasing electronegativity of the 2'-substituent, i.e., H < OH < F. The N-glycosidic bond stability is also greater for the adenine nucleoside analogues than the guanine nucleoside analogues.

Vibrational signatures of curcumin's chelation in copper(II) complexes: An appraisal by IRMPD spectroscopy

Curcumin (Cur) is a natural polyphenol with a wide spectrum of biological activities and appealing therapeutic potential. Herein, it has been delivered by electrospray ionization as gaseous protonated species, [Cur + H]⁺, and as a Cu(ii) complex, [Cu(Cur - H)]⁺, a promising antioxidant and radical scavenger. The gas phase structures were assayed by infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy in both the fingerprint (800-2000 cm^-1) and hydrogen stretching (3100-3750 cm^-1) ranges. Comparison between the experimental features and linear IR spectra of the lowest energy structures computed at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level reveals that bare [Cu(Cur - H)]⁺ exists in a fully planar and symmetric arrangement, where the metal interacts with the two oxygens of the syn-enolate functionality of deprotonated Cur and both OCH₃ groups are engaged in H-bonding with the ortho OH. The effect of protonation on the energetic and geometric determinants of Cur has been explored as well, revealing that bare [Cur + H]⁺ may exist as a mixture of two close-lying isomers associated with the most stable binding motifs. The additional proton is bound to either the diketo or the keto-enol configuration of Cur, in a bent or nearly planar arrangement, respectively.

Selecting and identifying gas-phase protonation isomers of nicotineH+ using combined laser, ion mobility and mass spectrometry techniques

Protonation isomers of gas-phase nicotineH⁺ are separated and assigned using a combination of FAIMS and UV photodissociation action spectroscopy.

Proton Transfer Accounting for Anomalous Collision-Induced Dissociation of Proton-Bound Hoogsteen Base Pair of Cytosine and Guanine

To understand the anomalous collision-induced dissociation (CID) behavior of the proton-bound Hoogsteen base pair of cytosine (C) and guanine (G), C:H⁺∙∙∙G, we investigated CID of a homologue series of proton-bound heterodimers of C, 1-methylcytosine, and 5-methylcytosine with G as a common base partner. The CID experiments were performed in an energy-resolved way (ER-CID) under both multiple and near-single collision conditions. The relative stabilities of the protonated complexes examined by ER-CID suggested that the proton-bound complexes produced by electrospray ionization in this study are proton-bound Hoogsteen base pairs. On the other hand, in contrast to the other base pairs, CID of C:H⁺∙∙∙G exhibited more abundant productions of C:H⁺, the fragment protonated on the moiety with a smaller proton affinity, than that of G:H⁺. This appeared to contradict general prediction based on the kinetic method. However, further theoretical exploration of potential energy surfaces found that there can be facile proton transfers in the proton-bound Hoogsteen base pairs during the CID process, which makes the process accessible to an additional product state of O-protonated C for C:H⁺ fragments. The presence of an additional dissociation channel, which in other words corresponds to twofold degeneracy in the transition state leading to C:H⁺ fragments, effectively doubles the apparent reaction rate for production of C:H⁺. In this way, the process gives rise to the anomaly, the observed pronounced formation of C:H⁺ in the CID of the proton-bound Hoogsteen base pair, C:H⁺∙∙∙G. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Unraveling the unknown areas of the human metabolome: the role of infrared ion spectroscopy

The identification of molecular biomarkers is critical for diagnosing and treating patients and for establishing a fundamental understanding of the pathophysiology and underlying biochemistry of inborn errors of metabolism. Currently, liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy are the principle methods used for biomarker research and for structural elucidation of small molecules in patient body fluids. While both are powerful techniques, several limitations exist that often make the identification of unknown compounds challenging. Here, we describe how infrared ion spectroscopy has the potential to be a valuable orthogonal technique that provides highly-specific molecular structure information while maintaining ultra-high sensitivity. Here, we characterize and distinguish two well-known biomarkers of inborn errors of metabolism, glutaric acid for glutaric aciduria and ethylmalonic acid for short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, using infrared ion spectroscopy. In contrast to tandem mass spectra, in which ion fragments can hardly be predicted, we show that the prediction of an IR spectrum allows reference-free identification in the case that standard compounds are either commercially or synthetically unavailable. Finally, we illustrate how functional group information can be obtained from an IR spectrum for an unknown and how this is valuable information to, for example, narrow down a list of candidate structures resulting from a database query. Early diagnosis in inborn errors of metabolism is crucial for enabling treatment and depends on the identification of biomarkers specific for the disorder. Infrared ion spectroscopy has the potential to play a pivotal role in the identification of challenging biomarkers.

The intrinsic basicity of the phosphate backbone exceeds that of uracil and thymine residues: protonation of the phosphate moiety is preferred over the nucleobase for pdThd and pUrd

The gas-phase conformations of the protonated forms of thymidine-5'-monophosphate and uridine-5'-monophosphate, [pdThd+H]⁺ and [pUrd+H]⁺, are investigated by infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations. The IRMPD action spectra of [pdThd+H]⁺ and [pUrd+H]⁺ are measured over the IR fingerprint and hydrogen-stretching regions using the FELIX free electron laser and an OPO/OPA laser system. Low-energy conformations of [pdThd+H]⁺ and [pUrd+H]⁺ and their relative stabilities are computed at the MP2(full)/6-311+G(2d,2p)//B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p)//B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory. Comparisons of the measured IRMPD action spectra and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) linear IR spectra computed for the low-energy conformers indicate that the dominant conformers of [pdThd+H]⁺ and [pUrd+H]⁺ populated in the experiments are protonated at the phosphate oxo oxygen atom, with a syn nucleobase orientation that is stabilized by strong P[double bond, length as m-dash]OH⁺O2 and P-OHO4' hydrogen-bonding interactions, and C2'-endo sugar puckering. Minor abundance of conformers protonated at the O2 carbonyl of the nucleobase residue may also contribute for [pdThd+H]⁺, but do not appear to be important for [pUrd+H]⁺. Comparisons to previous IRMPD spectroscopy investigations of the protonated forms of thymidine and uridine, [dThd+H]⁺ and [Urd+H]⁺, and the deprotonated forms of pdThd and pUrd, [pdThd-H]^- and [pUrd-H]^-, provide insight into the effects of the phosphate moiety and protonation on the conformational features of the nucleobase and sugar moieties. Most interestingly, the thymine and uracil nucleobases remain in their canonical forms for [pdThd+H]⁺ and [pUrd+H]⁺, unlike [dThd+H]⁺ and [Urd+H]⁺, where protonation occurs on the nucleobases and induces tautomerization of the thymine and uracil residues.

Gas-Phase Oxidation of the Protonated Uracil-5-yl Radical Cation

This study targets the kinetics and product detection of the gas-phase oxidation reaction of the protonated 5-dehydrouracil (uracil-5-yl) distonic radical cation using ion-trap mass spectrometry. Protonated 5-dehydrouracil radical ions (5-dehydrouracilH⁺ radical ion, m/z 112) are produced within an ion trap by laser photolysis of protonated 5-iodouracil. Storage of the 5-dehydrouracilH⁺ radical ion in the presence of controlled concentration of O₂ reveals two main products. The major reaction product pathway is assigned as the formation of protonated 2-hydroxypyrimidine-4,5-dione (m/z 127) + ^•OH. A second product ion (m/z 99), putatively assigned as a five-member-ring ketone structure, is tentatively explained as arising from the decarbonylation (-CO) of protonated 2-hydroxypyrimidine-4,5-dione. Because protonation of the 5-dehydrouracil radical likely forms a dienol structure, the O₂ reaction at the 5 position is ortho to an -OH group. Following this addition of O₂, the peroxyl-radical intermediate isomerizes by H atom transfer from the -OH group. The ensuing hydroperoxide then decomposes to eliminate ^•OH radical. It is shown that this elimination of ^•OH radical (-17 Da) is evidence for the presence of an -OH group ortho to the initial phenyl radical site, in good accord with calculations. The subsequent CO loss mechanism, to form the aforementioned five-member-ring structure, is unclear, but some pathways are discussed. By following the kinetics of the reaction, the room temperature second-order rate coefficient of the 5-dehydrouracilH⁺ distonic radical cation with molecular oxygen is measured at 7.2 × 10^-11 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1, Φ = 12% (with ±50% total accuracy). For aryl radical reactions with O₂, the presence of the ^•OH elimination product pathway, following the peroxyl-radical formation, is an indicator of an -OH group ortho to the radical site.

Fingerprints of Both Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen Isomers of the Isolated (Cytosine-Guanine)H+ Pair

 Gas phase protonated guanine-cytosine (CGH⁺) pair was generated using an electrospray ionization source from solutions at two different pH (5.8 and 3.2). Consistent evidence from MS/MS fragmentation patterns and differential ion mobility spectra (DIMS) point toward the presence of two isomers of the CGH⁺ pair, whose relative populations depend strongly on the pH of the solution. Gas phase infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy in the 900-1900 cm^-1 spectral range further confirms that the Watson-Crick isomer is preferentially produced (91%) at pH = 5.8, while the Hoogsteen isomer predominates (66%) at pH = 3.2). These fingerprint signatures are expected to be useful for the development of new analytical methodologies and to trigger isomer selective photochemical studies of protonated DNA base pairs.

IRMPD Action Spectroscopy, ER-CID Experiments, and Theoretical Studies of Sodium Cationized Thymidine and 5-Methyluridine: Kinetic Trapping During the ESI Desolvation Process Preserves the Solution Structure of [Thd+Na]<sup/>

Thymidine (dThd) is a fundamental building block of DNA nucleic acids, whereas 5-methyluridine (Thd) is a common modified nucleoside found in tRNA. In order to determine the conformations of the sodium cationized thymine nucleosides [dThd+Na]⁺ and [Thd+Na]⁺ produced by electrospray ionization, their infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectra are measured. Complementary electronic structure calculations are performed to determine the stable low-energy conformations of these complexes. Geometry optimizations and frequency analyses are performed at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory, whereas energies are calculated at the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p) level of theory. As protonation preferentially stabilizes minor tautomers of dThd and Thd, tautomerization facilitated by Na⁺ binding is also considered. Comparisons of the measured IRMPD and computed IR spectra find that [dThd+Na]⁺ prefers tridentate (O2,O4',O5') coordination to the canonical 2,4-diketo form of dThd with thymine in a syn orientation. In contrast, [Thd+Na]⁺ prefers bidentate (O2,O2') coordination to the canonical 2,4-diketo tautomer of Thd with thymine in an anti orientation. Although 2,4-dihydroxy tautomers and O2 protonated thymine nucleosides coexist in the gas phase, no evidence for minor tautomers is observed for the sodium cationized species. Consistent with experimental observations, the computational results confirm that the sodium cationized thymine nucleosides exhibit a strong preference for the canonical form of the thymine nucleobase. Survival yield analyses based on energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation (ER-CID) experiments suggest that the relative stabilities of protonated and sodium cationized dThd and Thd follow the order [dThd+H]⁺ < [Thd+H]⁺ < [dThd+Na]⁺ < [Thd+Na]⁺. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

N3 and O2 Protonated Conformers of the Cytosine Mononucleotides Coexist in the Gas Phase

The gas-phase conformations of the protonated forms of the DNA and RNA cytosine mononucleotides, [pdCyd+H]⁺ and [pCyd+H]⁺, are examined by infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy over the IR fingerprint and hydrogen-stretching regions complemented by electronic structure calculations. The low-energy conformations of [pdCyd+H]⁺ and [pCyd+H]⁺ and their relative stabilities are computed at the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p)//B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) and MP2(full)/6-311+G(2d,2p)//B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory. Comparisons of the measured IRMPD action spectra and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) linear IR spectra computed for the low-energy conformers allow the conformers present in the experiments to be determined. Similar to that found in previous IRMPD action spectroscopy studies of the protonated forms of the cytosine nucleosides, [dCyd+H]⁺ and [Cyd+H]⁺, both N3 and O2 protonated cytosine mononucleotides exhibiting an anti orientation of cytosine are found to coexist in the experimental population. The 2'-hydroxyl substituent does not significantly influence the most stable conformations of [pCyd+H]⁺ versus those of [pdCyd+H]⁺, as the IRMPD spectral profiles of [pdCyd+H]⁺ and [pCyd+H]⁺ are similar. However, the presence of the 2'-hydroxyl substituent does influence the relative intensities of the measured IRMPD bands. Comparisons to IRMPD spectroscopy studies of the deprotonated forms of the cytosine mononucleotides, [pdCyd-H]^- and [pCyd-H]^-, provide insight into the effects of protonation versus deprotonation on the conformational features of the nucleobase and sugar moieties. Likewise, comparisons to results of IRMPD spectroscopy studies of the protonated cytosine nucleosides provide insight into the influence of the phosphate moiety on structure. Comparison with previous ion mobility results shows the superiority of IRMPD spectroscopy for distinguishing various protonation sites. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Effects of sodium cationization versus protonation on the conformations and N-glycosidic bond stabilities of sodium cationized Urd and dUrd: solution conformation of [Urd+Na]+ is preserved upon ESI

Uridine (Urd) is one of the naturally occurring pyrimidine nucleosides of RNA. 2'-Deoxyuridine (dUrd) is a naturally occurring modified form of Urd, but is not one of the canonical DNA nucleosides. In order to understand the effects of sodium cationization on the conformations and energetics of Urd and dUrd, infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed. By comparing the calculated IR spectra of [Urd+Na]⁺ and [dUrd+Na]⁺ with the measured IRMPD spectra, the stable low-energy conformers populated in the experiments are determined. Anti oriented bidentate O2 and O2' binding conformers of [Urd+Na]⁺ are the dominant conformers populated in the experiments, whereas syn oriented tridentate O2, O4', and O5' binding conformers of [dUrd+Na]⁺ are dominantly populated in the experiments. The 2'-hydroxyl substituent of Urd stabilizes the anti oriented O2 binding conformers of [Urd+Na]⁺. Significant differences between the measured IRMPD and calculated IR spectra for complexes of [Urd+Na]⁺ and [dUrd+Na]⁺ involving minor tautomeric forms of the nucleobase make it obvious that none are populated in the experiments. Survival yield analyses based on energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation (ER-CID) experiments suggest that the relative stabilities of protonated and sodium cationized Urd and dUrd follow the order: [dUrd+H]⁺ < [Urd+H]⁺ < [dUrd+Na]⁺ < [Urd+Na]⁺. The 2'-deoxy modification is found to weaken the glycosidic bond of dUrd versus that of Urd for the sodium cationized uridine nucleosides.

Infrared spectroscopic characterization of monocytic microvesicles (microparticles) released upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation

Microvesicles (MVs) are involved in cell-cell interactions, including disease pathogenesis. Nondestructive Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra from MVs were assessed as a technique to provide new biochemical insights into a LPS-induced monocyte model of septic shock. FTIR spectroscopy provided a quick method to investigate relative differences in biomolecular content of different MV populations that was complementary to traditional semiquantitative omics approaches, with which it is difficult to provide information on relative changes between classes (proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates) or protein conformations. Time-dependent changes were detected in biomolecular contents of MVs and in the monocytes from which they were released. Differences in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine contents were observed in MVs released under stimulation, and higher relative concentrations of RNA and α-helical structured proteins were present in stimulated MVs compared with MVs from resting cells. FTIR spectra of stimulated monocytes displayed changes that were consistent with those observed in the corresponding MVs they released. LPS-stimulated monocytes had reduced concentrations of nucleic acids, α-helical structured proteins, and phosphatidylcholine compared with resting monocytes but had an increase in total lipids. FTIR spectra of MV biomolecular content will be important in shedding new light on the mechanisms of MVs and the different roles they play in physiology and disease pathogenesis.-Lee, J., Wen, B., Carter, E. A., Combes, V., Grau, G. E. R., Lay, P. A. Infrared spectroscopic characterization of monocytic microvesicles (microparticles) released upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation.

Gas-phase interactions of organotin compounds with cysteine

The gas-phase interactions of cysteine with di-organotin and tri-organotin compounds have been studied by mass spectrometry experiments and quantum calculations. Positive-ion electrospray spectra show that the interaction of di- and tri-organotins with cysteine results in the formation of [(R)₂ Sn(Cys-H)]⁺ and [(R)₃ Sn(Cys)]⁺ ions, respectively. MS/MS spectra of [(R)₂ Sn(Cys-H)]⁺ complexes are characterized by numerous fragmentation processes, notably associated with elimination of NH₃ and (C,H₂ ,O₂ ). Several dissociation routes are characteristic of each given organic species. Upon collision, both the [(R)₃ Sn(Gly)]⁺ and [(R)₃ Sn(Cys)]⁺ complexes are associated with elimination of the intact amino acid, leading to the formation of [(R)₃ Sn]⁺ cation. But for the latter complex, two additional fragmentation processes are observed, associated with the elimination of NH₃ and C₃ H₄ O₂ S. Calculations indicate that the interaction between organotins and cysteine is predominantly electrostatic but also exhibits a considerable covalent character, which is slightly more pronounced in tri-organotin complexes. A preferred bidentate interaction of the type -η² -S-NH₂ , with sulfur and the amino group, is observed. As for the [(R)₃ Sn(Cys)]⁺ complexes, their stability is due to the combination of the hydrogen bond taking place between the amino group and the sulfur lone pair and the interaction between the carboxylic oxygen atom and the metal. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Enhanced Basicity of Push-Pull Nitrogen Bases in the Gas Phase

Nitrogen bases containing one or more pushing amino-group(s) directly linked to a pulling cyano, imino, or phosphoimino group, as well as those in which the pushing and pulling moieties are separated by a conjugated spacer (C═X)_n, where X is CH or N, display an exceptionally strong basicity. The n-π conjugation between the pushing and pulling groups in such systems lowers the basicity of the pushing amino-group(s) and increases the basicity of the pulling cyano, imino, or phosphoimino group. In the gas phase, most of the so-called push-pull nitrogen bases exhibit a very high basicity. This paper presents an analysis of the exceptional gas-phase basicity, mostly in terms of experimental data, in relation with structure and conjugation of various subfamilies of push-pull nitrogen bases: nitriles, azoles, azines, amidines, guanidines, vinamidines, biguanides, and phosphazenes. The strong basicity of biomolecules containing a push-pull nitrogen substructure, such as bioamines, amino acids, and peptides containing push-pull side chains, nucleobases, and their nucleosides and nucleotides, is also analyzed. Progress and perspectives of experimental determinations of GBs and PAs of highly basic compounds, termed as "superbases", are presented and benchmarked on the basis of theoretical calculations on existing or hypothetical molecules.

Tautomerization lowers the activation barriers for N-glycosidic bond cleavage of protonated uridine and 2'-deoxyuridine

The gas-phase conformations of protonated uridine, [Urd+H](+), and its 2'-deoxy form, protonated 2'-deoxyuridine, [dUrd+H](+), have been examined in detail previously by infrared multiple photon dissociation action spectroscopy techniques. Both 2,4-dihydroxy tautomers and O4 protonated conformers of [Urd+H](+) and [dUrd+H](+) were found to coexist in the experiments with the 2,4-dihydroxy tautomers dominating the population. In the present study, the kinetic energy dependence of the collision-induced dissociation behavior of [Urd+H](+) and [dUrd+H](+) are examined using a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer to probe the mechanisms and energetics for activated dissociation of these protonated nucleosides. The primary dissociation pathways observed involve N-glycosidic bond cleavage leading to competitive elimination of protonated or neutral uracil. The potential energy surfaces (PESs) for these N-glycosidic bond cleavage pathways are mapped out via electronic structure calculations for the mixture of 2,4-dihydroxy tautomers and O4 protonated conformers of [Urd+H](+) and [dUrd+H](+) populated in the experiments. The calculated activation energies (AEs) and heats of reaction (ΔHrxns) for N-glycosidic bond cleavage at both the B3LYP and MP2(full) levels of theory are compared to the measured values. The agreement between experiment and theory indicates that B3LYP provides better estimates of the energetics of the species along the PESs for N-glycosidic bond cleavage than MP2, and that the 2,4-dihydroxy tautomers, which are stabilized by strong hydrogen-bonding interactions, predominantly influence the observed threshold dissociation behavior of [Urd+H](+) and [dUrd+H](+).

Diverse mixtures of 2,4-dihydroxy tautomers and O4 protonated conformers of uridine and 2'-deoxyuridine coexist in the gas phase

The gas-phase conformations of protonated uridine, [Urd+H](+), and its modified form, protonated 2'-deoxyuridine, [dUrd+H](+), generated by electrospray ionization are investigated using infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy techniques. IRMPD action spectra of [Urd+H](+) and [dUrd+H](+) are measured over the IR fingerprint and hydrogen-stretching regions. [Urd+H](+) and [dUrd+H](+) exhibit very similar IRMPD spectral profiles. However, the IRMPD yields of [Urd+H](+) exceed those of [dUrd+H](+) in both the IR fingerprint and hydrogen-stretching regions. The measured spectra are compared to the linear IR spectra predicted for the stable low-energy structures of these species computed at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory to determine the tautomeric conformations populated by electrospray ionization. Both B3LYP and MP2 methods find O4 and O2 protonated canonical as well as 2,4-dihydroxy tautomers among the stable low-energy structures of [Urd+H](+) and [dUrd+H](+). Comparison between the measured IRMPD and calculated linear IR spectra suggests that these species exist in their ring-closed forms and that both 2,4-dihydroxy tautomers as well as O4 protonated canonical conformers coexist in the population generated by electrospray ionization for both [Urd+H](+) and [dUrd+H](+). The 2'-deoxy modification of [dUrd+H](+) reduces the variety of 2,4-dihydroxy tautomers populated in the experiments vs. those of [Urd+H](+).

2,4-Dihydroxy and O2 Protonated Tautomers of dThd and Thd Coexist in the Gas Phase: Methylation Alters Protonation Preferences versus dUrd and Urd

The gas-phase structures of protonated thymidine, [dThd + H](+), and its modified form, protonated 5-methyluridine, [Thd + H](+), are examined by infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy combined with electronic structure calculations. IRMPD action spectra are measured over the ranges extending from ~600 to 1900 cm(-1) and ~2800 to 3800 cm(-1) using the FELIX free electron laser and an optical parametric oscillator/amplifier (OPO/OPA) laser system, respectively. Comparisons between the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) linear IR spectra calculated for the stable low-energy conformers and the measured IRMPD spectra are used to determine the most favorable tautomeric conformations of [dThd + H](+) and [Thd + H](+) and to identify those populated in the experiments. Both B3LYP and MP2 levels of theory predict a minor 2,4-dihydroxy tautomer as the ground-state conformer of [dThd + H](+) and [Thd + H](+) indicating that the 2'-hydroxyl substituent of Thd does not exert a significant impact on the structural features. [dThd + H](+) and [Thd + H](+) share parallel IRMPD spectral profiles and yields in both the FELIX and OPO regions. Comparisons between the measured IRMPD and calculated IR spectra suggest that minor 2,4-dihydroxy tautomers and O2 protonated conformers of [dThd + H](+) and [Thd + H](+) are populated in the experiments. Comparison of this work to our previous IRMPD spectroscopy study of protonated 2'-deoxyuridine and uridine suggests that the 5-methyl substituent alters the preferences of O2 versus O4 protonation.

Interaction of Cu(+) with cytosine and formation of i-motif-like C-M(+)-C complexes: alkali versus coinage metals

The Watson-Crick structure of DNA is among the most well-known molecular structures of our time. However, alternative base-pairing motifs are also known to occur, often depending on base sequence, pH, or the presence of cations. Pairing of cytosine (C) bases induced by the sharing of a single proton (C-H(+)-C) may give rise to the so-called i-motif, which occurs primarily in expanded trinucleotide repeats and the telomeric region of DNA, particularly at low pH. At physiological pH, silver cations were recently found to stabilize C dimers in a C-Ag(+)-C structure analogous to the hemiprotonated C-dimer. Here we use infrared ion spectroscopy in combination with density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6-311G+(2df,2p) level to show that copper in the 1+ oxidation state induces an analogous formation of C-Cu(+)-C structures. In contrast to protons and these transition metal ions, alkali metal ions induce a different dimer structure, where each ligand coordinates the alkali metal ion in a bidentate fashion in which the N3 and O2 atoms of both cytosine ligands coordinate to the metal ion, sacrificing hydrogen-bonding interactions between the ligands for improved chelation of the metal cation.

On the gas phase fragmentation of protonated uracil: a statistical perspective

The major fragmentation pathways of protonated uracil calculated in this work using statistical methods agree with mass spectrometry experiments.

Elucidating collision induced dissociation products and reaction mechanisms of protonated uracil by coupling chemical dynamics simulations with tandem mass spectrometry experiments

In this study we have coupled mixed quantum-classical (quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics) direct chemical dynamics simulations with electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectrometry experiments in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the fragmentation mechanisms occurring during the collision induced dissociation of gaseous protonated uracil. Using this approach, we were able to successfully characterize the fragmentation pathways corresponding to ammonia loss (m/z 96), water loss (m/z 95) and cyanic or isocyanic acid loss (m/z 70). Furthermore, we also performed experiments with isotopic labeling completing the fragmentation picture. Remarkably, fragmentation mechanisms obtained from chemical dynamics simulations are consistent with those deduced from isotopic labeling.