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Grabarics M, Lettow M, Kirschbaum C, Greis K, Manz C, Pagel K. Mass Spectrometry-Based Techniques to Elucidate the Sugar Code. Chem Rev 2022; 122:7840-7908. [PMID: 34491038 PMCID: PMC9052437 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cells encode information in the sequence of biopolymers, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and glycans. Although glycans are essential to all living organisms, surprisingly little is known about the "sugar code" and the biological roles of these molecules. The reason glycobiology lags behind its counterparts dealing with nucleic acids and proteins lies in the complexity of carbohydrate structures, which renders their analysis extremely challenging. Building blocks that may differ only in the configuration of a single stereocenter, combined with the vast possibilities to connect monosaccharide units, lead to an immense variety of isomers, which poses a formidable challenge to conventional mass spectrometry. In recent years, however, a combination of innovative ion activation methods, commercialization of ion mobility-mass spectrometry, progress in gas-phase ion spectroscopy, and advances in computational chemistry have led to a revolution in mass spectrometry-based glycan analysis. The present review focuses on the above techniques that expanded the traditional glycomics toolkit and provided spectacular insight into the structure of these fascinating biomolecules. To emphasize the specific challenges associated with them, major classes of mammalian glycans are discussed in separate sections. By doing so, we aim to put the spotlight on the most important element of glycobiology: the glycans themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márkó Grabarics
- Institute
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität
Berlin, Arnimallee 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department
of Molecular Physics, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4−6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maike Lettow
- Institute
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität
Berlin, Arnimallee 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department
of Molecular Physics, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4−6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Carla Kirschbaum
- Institute
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität
Berlin, Arnimallee 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department
of Molecular Physics, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4−6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kim Greis
- Institute
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität
Berlin, Arnimallee 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department
of Molecular Physics, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4−6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Manz
- Institute
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität
Berlin, Arnimallee 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department
of Molecular Physics, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4−6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kevin Pagel
- Institute
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität
Berlin, Arnimallee 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department
of Molecular Physics, Fritz Haber Institute
of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4−6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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Donohoo KB, Wang J, Goli M, Yu A, Peng W, Hakim MA, Mechref Y. Advances in mass spectrometry-based glycomics-An update covering the period 2017-2021. Electrophoresis 2021; 43:119-142. [PMID: 34505713 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202100199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The wide variety of chemical properties and biological functions found in proteins is attained via post-translational modifications like glycosylation. Covalently bonded to proteins, glycans play a critical role in cell activity. Complex structures with microheterogeneity, the glycan structures that are associated with proteins are difficult to analyze comprehensively. Recent advances in sample preparation methods, separation techniques, and MS have facilitated the quantitation and structural elucidation of glycans. This review focuses on highlighting advances in MS-based techniques for glycomic analysis that occurred over the last 5 years (2017-2021) as an update to the previous review on the subject. The topics of discussion will include progress in glycomic workflow such as glycan release, purification, derivatization, and separation as well as the topics of ionization, tandem MS, and separation techniques that can be coupled with MS. Additionally, bioinformatics tools used for the analysis of glycans will be described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn B Donohoo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Junyao Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Mona Goli
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Aiying Yu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Wenjing Peng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Md Abdul Hakim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Yehia Mechref
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
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Pepi LE, Leach FE, Klein DR, Brodbelt JS, Amster IJ. Investigation of the Experimental Parameters of Ultraviolet Photodissociation for the Structural Characterization of Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosaminoglycan Isomers. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2021; 32:1759-1770. [PMID: 34096288 PMCID: PMC8377745 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.1c00119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are linear polysaccharides that participate in a broad range of biological functions. Their incomplete biosynthesis pathway leads to nonuniform chains and complex mixtures. For this reason, the characterization of GAGs has been a difficult hurdle for the analytical community. Recently, ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) has emerged as a useful tool for determining sites of modification within a GAG chain. Here, we investigate the ability for UVPD to distinguish chondroitin sulfate epimers and the effects of UVPD experimental parameters on fragmentation efficiency. Chondroitin sulfate A (CS-A) and chondroitin sulfate B (CS-B), commonly referred to as dermatan sulfate (DS), differ only in C-5 uronic acid stereochemistry. This uronic acid difference can influence GAG-protein binding and therefore can alter the specific biological function of a GAG chain. Prior tandem mass spectrometry methods investigated for the elucidation of GAG structures also have difficulty differentiating 4-O from 6-O sulfation in chondroitin sulfate GAGs. Preliminary data using UVPD to characterize GAGs showed a promising ability to characterize 4-O sulfation in CS-A GAGs. Here, we look in depth at the capability of UVPD to distinguish chondroitin sulfate C-5 diastereomers and the role of key experimental parameters in making this distinction. Results using a 193 nm excimer laser and a 213 nm solid-state laser are compared for this study. The effect of precursor ionization state, the number of laser pulses (193 or 213 nm UVPD), and the use of the low-pressure versus high-pressure trap are investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Pepi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Franklin E Leach
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Dustin R Klein
- Department of Biochemistry and Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Jennifer S Brodbelt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - I Jonathan Amster
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
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Lemmnitzer K, Köhling S, Freyse J, Rademann J, Schiller J. Characterization of defined sulfated heparin-like oligosaccharides by electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry. JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY : JMS 2021; 56:e4692. [PMID: 33415813 DOI: 10.1002/jms.4692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Glycosaminoglycans (GAG) as long, unbranched polysaccharides are major components of the extracellular matrix. Many studies provided additional evidence of a specific binding between mediators and sulfated GAG, at which the sulfation code-which means the number and positions of sulfate groups along the polysaccharide chain-plays an important role. GAG from natural sources are very inhomogeneous regarding their sulfation patterns and molecular weight. Additionally, there is a high risk of contamination. This results in a growing interest in the careful characterization of native GAG and the synthesis of artificial GAG. Additionally, chemically oversulfated GAG analogues show many favorable properties. However, the structural characterization of these carbohydrates by mass spectrometry remains challenging. One significant problem is the sulfate loss during the ionization, which increases with the number of sulfate residues. We used the sulfated pentasaccharide fondaparinux as model substance to optimize sample preparation and measurement conditions, compared different established desalination methods and already existing protocols for sulfated oligosaccharides, and investigated their impact on the quality of the mass spectra. After optimization of the measurement conditions, we could establish a gentle and fast protocol for the mass spectrometry characterization of (fully) sulfated, artificial GAG-like oligosaccharides with minimized sulfate loss in the positive and negative ion mode. Here, the negative ion mode was more sensitive in comparison with the positive one, and fondaparinux species with sulfate loss were not detectable under the optimized conditions in the positive ion mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Lemmnitzer
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Köhling
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Joanna Freyse
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jörg Rademann
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Schiller
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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