Characterization of N-ethoxycarbonyl ethyl esters of amino acids by mass spectrometry

Effects of Dietary Phenylalanine and Tyrosine Supplements on the Chronic Stress Response in the Seabream (Sparus aurata)

The increase of aquaculture production is associated with a growing interest in improving physiological status and welfare in fish. For this reason, the search for strategies for mitigating stress has been intensified, with one of these strategies being food supplementation with different amino acids (AA). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary phenylalanine (Phe) and tyrosine (Tyr) supplements on the endocrine and physiological state of seabreams (Sparus aurata) subjected to chronic stress. The fish were stocked at 30 fish/tank in a recirculation aquatic system, fed one control diet and two diets supplemented with 5% Phe or Tyr for 90 days. Blood was drawn from 10 fish per tank every 30 days, and the weight and length were measured every 15 days. At the end of the experiment, length/weight of the fish were measured, and they were sacrificed for the extraction of blood, head kidney, liver, and brain. Classic plasma stress markers (glucose, lactate, proteins, and cortisol), as well as hormones derived from Phe and Tyr (adrenaline, norepinephrine, and dopamine) and the accumulation of AA were analyzed. Fish fed with diets supplemented with Phe or Tyr showed a reduction in various stress markers and physiological parameters. In addition, the stress condition favored a mobilization of AA toward the tissues, especially in supplemented diets, so this excess of AA could be used as an energy substrate to cope with stress.

Phenylalanine and Tyrosine as Feed Additives for Reducing Stress and Enhancing Welfare in Gilthead Seabream and Meagre

Simple Summary

Food additives (phenylalanine and tyrosine) were tested in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and meagre (Argyrosomus regius) to improve fish welfare in sea farms. These amino acids improved the stress response in both species, reducing some stress markers, though interspecific differences were detected. The results indicate that these dietary supplements could be provided before submitting fish to typical stress conditions in sea farms (sampling, grading, etc.) for improving animal welfare.

Abstract

Increased aquaculture production is associated with a growing interest in improving fish welfare. For this reason, the search for strategies to mitigate stress has intensified, one of these strategies being food supplementation with amino acids. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary phenylalanine (Phe) and Tyrosine (Tyr) on the stress response and metabolism of juvenile gilthead seabreams (Sparus aurata) and meagres (Argyrosomus regius). Fish batches were fed a control diet and two diets supplemented with 5% Phe or Tyr for seven days. At the end of the experiment fish were stressed by air exposure for 3 min and then sacrificed for the extraction of blood and brain. Classical plasma stress markers were analyzed (glucose, lactate, proteins, cortisol), as well as hormones derived from those amino acids (adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine). Despite interspecific differences, fish fed the diets supplemented with Phe or Tyr showed a reduction on several stress markers. However, interspecific differences were detected for many indicators. Concretely, hormonal stress markers were significantly attenuated in meagres fed the enriched diets. Moreover, the stress condition favored a mobilization of amino acids towards the brain, especially in supplemented diets, hence this amino acid excess could be used as an energy substrate to cope with stress.

Two parenteral amino acid solutions and plasma levels of amino acids in the neonate: A randomized trial

OBJECTIVE

In neonates on total parenteral nutrition (TPN), amino acids may be a risk factor for developing total parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis (TPNAC). We aimed, first, to compare methionine, cysteine, and taurine plasma levels between neonates on TPN who were receiving an intravenous amino acid solution based on a breast milk aminogram and those on an intravenous solution of pediatric amino acids based on an umbilical cord aminogram, and second, to determine the frequency of TPNAC.

METHODS

A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted. Ninety-four neonates with a birthweight of 1000g or more and a gestational age of 30 wk or older were admitted and enrolled. Blood samples were obtained at 0, 7, and 14 d of TPN, and plasma amino acid concentrations were determined by ultra-high-resolution liquid chromatography. Continuous variables were compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test or Student's t test; categorical variables were compared using the Fisher exact test.

RESULTS

Thirty-five neonates completed the study (Primene, n = 14; TrophAmine, n = 21). On day 14, methionine plasma concentrations were significantly lower in the Primene group than in the TrophAmine group (27 µmol/L versus 32.9 µmol/L, P = 0.044); the taurine concentration was significantly higher in the same group (72.4 µmol/L versus 45.3 µmol/L, P < 0.0001). There were no differences in TPNAC incidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Administering an intravenous solution of pediatric amino acids based on the umbilical cord aminogram yielded a higher taurine and lower methionine plasma concentration than did administering a similar solution based on the breast milk aminogram.

Characterization of N-methylated amino acids by GC-MS after ethyl chloroformate derivatization

Methylation is an essential metabolic process in the biological systems, and it is significant for several biological reactions in living organisms. Methylated compounds are known to be involved in most of the bodily functions, and some of them serve as biomarkers. Theoretically, all α-amino acids can be methylated, and it is possible to encounter them in most animal/plant samples. But the analytical data, especially the mass spectral data, are available only for a few of the methylated amino acids. Thus, it is essential to generate mass spectral data and to develop mass spectrometry methods for the identification of all possible methylated amino acids for future metabolomic studies. In this study, all N-methyl and N,N-dimethyl amino acids were synthesized by the methylation of α-amino acids and characterized by a GC-MS method. The methylated amino acids were derivatized with ethyl chloroformate and analyzed by GC-MS under EI and methane/CI conditions. The EI mass spectra of ethyl chloroformate derivatives of N-methyl (1-18) and N,N-dimethyl amino acids (19-35) showed abundant [M-COOC₂ H₅ ]⁺ ions. The fragment ions due to loss of C₂ H₄ , CO₂ , (CO₂  + C₂ H₄ ) from [M-COOC₂ H₅ ]⁺ were of structure indicative for 1-18. The EI spectra of 19-35 showed less number of fragment ions when compared with those of 1-18. The side chain group (R) caused specific fragment ions characteristic to its structure. The methane/CI spectra of the studied compounds showed [M + H]⁺ ions to substantiate their molecular weights. The detected EI fragment ions were characteristic of the structure that made easy identification of the studied compounds, including isomeric/isobaric compounds. Fragmentation patterns of the studied compounds (1-35) were confirmed by high-resolution mass spectra data and further substantiated by the data obtained from ¹³ C₂ -labeled glycines and N-ethoxycarbonyl methoxy esters. The method was applied to human plasma samples for the identification of amino acids and methylated amino acids. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mitochondrial functions modulate neuroendocrine, metabolic, inflammatory, and transcriptional responses to acute psychological stress

The experience of psychological stress triggers neuroendocrine, inflammatory, metabolic, and transcriptional perturbations that ultimately predispose to disease. However, the subcellular determinants of this integrated, multisystemic stress response have not been defined. Central to stress adaptation is cellular energetics, involving mitochondrial energy production and oxidative stress. We therefore hypothesized that abnormal mitochondrial functions would differentially modulate the organism's multisystemic response to psychological stress. By mutating or deleting mitochondrial genes encoded in the mtDNA [NADH dehydrogenase 6 (ND6) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI)] or nuclear DNA [adenine nucleotide translocator 1 (ANT1) and nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT)], we selectively impaired mitochondrial respiratory chain function, energy exchange, and mitochondrial redox balance in mice. The resulting impact on physiological reactivity and recovery from restraint stress were then characterized. We show that mitochondrial dysfunctions altered the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sympathetic adrenal-medullary activation and catecholamine levels, the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, circulating metabolites, and hippocampal gene expression responses to stress. Each mitochondrial defect generated a distinct whole-body stress-response signature. These results demonstrate the role of mitochondrial energetics and redox balance as modulators of key pathophysiological perturbations previously linked to disease. This work establishes mitochondria as stress-response modulators, with implications for understanding the mechanisms of stress pathophysiology and mitochondrial diseases.

Compound-specific δ13C and δ15N analysis of amino acids: a rapid, chloroformate-based method for ecological studies

RATIONALE

Compound-specific stable isotope analysis of amino acids has proven informative to many ecological systems, but only a handful of analytical methods are routinely employed. We evaluated a simple, rapid procedure in which biological samples undergo short-duration acid hydrolysis and the resulting amino acids are derivatized with methyl chloroformate for gas chromatography/combustion/isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS).

METHODS

Amino acid derivatives were separated on a polar gas chromatography column, combusted, and δ(13)C and δ(15)N values were measured. Tests of reproducibility and accuracy were conducted for amino acid reference mixtures and biological samples. A brief case study of turtles was used to assess whether isotopic data were consistent with a priori ecological expectations.

RESULTS

The methyl chloroformate based reaction successfully converted 15 amino acids from acid hydrolysates of biological materials into separable derivatives. The δ(13)C and δ(15)N values had high average measurement precision (σ <1‰). Reference materials were measured accurately, with good agreement between EA/IRMS and GC/C/IRMS determinations. Analysis of turtle blood samples yielded data consistent with their trophic ecology.

CONCLUSIONS

This derivatization method is a rapid means of determining carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios of amino acids present in the biological materials often sampled for ecological studies. While amino acids with charged or polar side chains do not have uniformly high recoveries, the average precision of measurements is comparable with that of other, more established methods. Batches of samples may be prepared from many raw materials in less than a day, representing a significant reduction in preparation time over prevailing methods.

A peroxidase-dependent apoplastic oxidative burst in cultured Arabidopsis cells functions in MAMP-elicited defense

Perception by plants of so-called microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) such as bacterial flagellin, referred to as pattern-triggered immunity, triggers a rapid transient accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We previously identified two cell wall peroxidases, PRX33 and PRX34, involved in apoplastic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Here, we describe the generation of Arabidopsis tissue culture lines in which the expression of PRX33 and PRX34 is knocked down by antisense expression of a heterologous French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) peroxidase cDNA construct. Using these tissue culture lines and two inhibitors of ROS generation, azide and diphenylene iodonium, we found that perxoxidases generate about half of the H2O2 that accumulated in response to MAMP treatment and that NADPH oxidases and other sources such as mitochondria account for the remainder of the ROS. Knockdown of PRX33/PRX34 resulted in decreased expression of several MAMP-elicited genes, including MYB51, CYP79B2, and CYP81F2. Similarly, proteomic analysis showed that knockdown of PRX33/PRX34 led to the depletion of various MAMP-elicited defense-related proteins, including the two cysteine-rich peptides PDF2.2 and PDF2.3. Knockdown of PRX33/PRX34 also led to changes in the cell wall proteome, including increases in enzymes involved in cell wall remodeling, which may reflect enhanced cell wall expansion as a consequence of reduced H2O2-mediated cell wall cross-linking. Comparative metabolite profiling of a CaCl2 extract of the PRX33/PRX34 knockdown lines showed significant changes in amino acids, aldehydes, and keto acids but not fatty acids and sugars. Overall, these data suggest that PRX33/PRX34-generated ROS production is involved in the orchestration of pattern-triggered immunity in tissue culture cells.

Sarcosine as a marker in prostate cancer progression: a rapid and simple method for its quantification in human urine by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

Sarcosine is an amino acid derivative of N-methylglycine and is involved in the amino acid metabolism and methylation processes that are enriched during prostate cancer progression. It could also serve as a new target to be measured during therapeutic interventions and help in the identification of aggressive tumors for radical treatment. In this study, we present a new urine test that can help early diagnosis of prostate cancer. The method for the quantification of sarcosine in urine consists of a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) step followed by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry analysis. We used a preliminary derivatization step with ethyl chloroformate/ethanol and the corresponding ester was then extracted by SPME in immersion mode. Several fibers were evaluated and the optimization of the parameters affecting the SPME process was carried out using an experimental design. The optimal values were 20 min extraction time, 10% NaCl, and 270°C using a divinylbenzene/Carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber. The triple quadrupole analyzer acquired data in selected reaction monitoring mode, allowing us to obtain reconstructed chromatograms with well-defined chromatographic peaks. The accuracy and precision of this method were evaluated at concentrations of 70, 250, and 800 ng/ml and were found to be acceptable. Very satisfactory values (0.10 and 0.16 ng/ml, respectively) were also achieved for the limit of detection and the limit of quantification. The proposed protocol represents a rapid, simple, selective, and sensitive tool to quantify sarcosine in urine samples for prostate cancer diagnosis and for a screening test.

Dipropionylcysteine ethyl ester compensates for loss of citric acid cycle intermediates during post ischemia reperfusion in the pig heart

PURPOSE

During reperfusion, following myocardial ischemia, uncompensated loss of citric acid cycle (CAC) intermediates may impair CAC flux and energy transduction. Propionate has an anaplerotic effect when converted to the CAC intermediate succinyl-CoA, and may improve contractile recovery during reperfusion. Antioxidant therapy with N-acetylcysteine decreases reperfusion injury. To synergize the antioxidant effects of cysteine with the anaplerotic effects of propionate, we synthesized a novel bi-functional compound, N,S-dipropionyl cysteine ethyl ester (DPNCE) and tested its anaplerotic and anti-oxidative capacity in anesthetized pigs.

METHODS

Ischemia was induced by a 70% reduction in left anterior descending coronary artery flow for one hour, followed by 1 h of reperfusion. After 30 min of ischemia and throughout reperfusion animals were treated with saline or intravenous DPNCE (1.5 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1), n = 8/group). Arterial concentrations and myocardial propionate, cysteine, free fatty acids, glucose and lactate uptakes, cardiac mechanical functions, myocardial content of CAC intermediates and oxidative stress were assessed.

RESULTS

Ischemia resulted in reduction in myocardial tissue concentration of CAC intermediates. DPNCE treatment elevated arterial propionate and cysteine concentrations and myocardial propionate uptake, and increased myocardial concentrations of citrate, succinate, fumarate, and malate compared to saline treated animals. DPNCE treatment did not affect blood pressure or myocardial contractile function, but increased arterial free fatty acid concentration and myocardial fatty acid uptake. Arterial cysteine concentration was elevated by DPNCE, but there was negligible myocardial cysteine uptake, and no change in markers of oxidative stress.

CONCLUSION

DPNCE elevated arterial cysteine and propionate, and increased myocardial concentration of CAC intermediates, but did not affect mechanical function or oxidative stress.

Urea, glycolic acid, and glycerol in an organic residue produced by ultraviolet irradiation of interstellar/pre-cometary ice analogs

More than 50 stable organic molecules have been detected in the interstellar medium (ISM), from ground-based and onboard-satellite astronomical observations, in the gas and solid phases. Some of these organics may be prebiotic compounds that were delivered to early Earth by comets and meteorites and may have triggered the first chemical reactions involved in the origin of life. Ultraviolet irradiation of ices simulating photoprocesses of cold solid matter in astrophysical environments have shown that photochemistry can lead to the formation of amino acids and related compounds. In this work, we experimentally searched for other organic molecules of prebiotic interest, namely, oxidized acid labile compounds. In a setup that simulates conditions relevant to the ISM and Solar System icy bodies such as comets, a condensed CH(3)OH:NH(3) = 1:1 ice mixture was UV irradiated at approximately 80 K. The molecular constituents of the nonvolatile organic residue that remained at room temperature were separated by capillary gas chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry. Urea, glycolic acid, and glycerol were detected in this residue, as well as hydroxyacetamide, glycerolic acid, and glycerol amide. These organics are interesting target molecules to be searched for in space. Finally, tentative mechanisms of formation for these compounds under interstellar/pre-cometary conditions are proposed.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of pheomelanin degradation products

Melanoma is most rapidly increasing in the white population and people with pheomelanin skin type are at high risk to develop melanoma. However, little is known about the pheomelanin structure and function, and further elucidation of this melanin is therefore an important task. A GC/MS method was developed based on hydriodic acid hydrolysis of pheomelanin in the urine. Derivatization was performed with ethyl chloroformate and ethanol:pyridine (4:1, v/v). N,O-Ethoxycarbonyl-ethyl esters were extracted with chloroform and analyzed by GC/MS. 4-Amino-3-hydroxyphenylalanine and 3-amino-4-hydroxyphenylalanine together with one benzothiazinone and two benzothiazole compounds were detected and identified in hydrolyzed samples of synthetic pheomelanin and melanin from the urine of a patient with melanoma. These findings strongly suggest that heterocyclic pheomelanin-type units are incorporated in the pigment structures.

Simultaneous measurement of 13C- and 15N-isotopic enrichments of threonine by mass spectrometry

Under conditions of high isotopic dilution, e.g. in a tracer study, the ability to determine accurately and quantitatively small variations in isotopic enrichments of differently labelled chemical compounds (e.g. (13)C and (15)N in threonine) in a single run by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is desirable but remains a technological challenge. Here, we report a new, rapid and simple GC/MS method for simultaneously measuring the isotopic enrichments of doubly labelled threonine ([U(13)C] and (15)N) with isotopic enrichment lower than 1.5 Molar Percent Excess (MPE). The long-term reproducibility measured was around 0.09 MPE for both tracers (throughout a 6 week period). The intra-day repeatability was lower than 0.05 and 0.06 MPE for [U(13)C]-Thr and (15)N-Thr, respectively. To calculate both isotopic enrichments, two modes of calculations were used: one based on work by Rosenblatt et al. in 1992 and the other one using a matrix approach. Both methods gave similar results (ANOVA, P >0.05) with close precision for each mode of calculation. The GC/MS method was then used to investigate the differential utilization of threonine in different organs according to its route of administration in minipigs after administration of both tracers. In plasma samples, the lowest isotopic enrichment measured between two successive time points was at 0.01 and 0.02 MPE for [U(13)C]-Thr and (15)N-Thr, respectively. Moreover, the accuracy of GC/MS (13)C-isotopic enrichment measured was validated by analyzing the same plasma samples by gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS). Statistical analysis showed that both techniques gave the same results (ANOVA, P >0.05). This new GC/MS method offers the possibility to measure (13)C- and (15)N-isotopic enrichments with higher throughput, and using a lower amount of sample, than using GC/C/IRMS.

Analysis of amino acids without derivatization in barley extracts by LC-MS-MS

A method has been developed for quantification of 20 amino acids as well as 13 (15)N-labeled amino acids in barley plants. The amino acids were extracted from plant tissues using aqueous HCl-ethanol and directly analyzed without further purification. Analysis of the underivatized amino acids was performed by liquid chromatography (LC)-electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) in the positive ESI mode. Separation was achieved on a strong cation exchange column (Luna 5micro SCX 100A) with 30 mM ammonium acetate in water (solvent A) and 5% acetic acid in water (solvent B). Quantification was accomplished using d (2)-Phe as an internal standard. Calibration curves were linear over the range 0.5-50 microM, and limits of detection were estimated to be 0.1-3.0 microM. The mass-spectrometric technique was employed to study the regulation of amino acid levels in barley plants grown at 15 degrees C uniform root temperature (RT) and 20-10 degrees C vertical RT gradient (RTG). The LC-MS-MS results demonstrated enhanced concentration of free amino acids in shoots at 20-10 degrees C RTG, while total free amino acid concentration in roots was similarly low for both RT treatments. (15)NO(3) (-) labeling experiments showed lower (15)N/(14)N ratios for Glu, Ser, Ala and Val in plants grown at 20-10 degrees C RTG compared with those grown at 15 degrees C RT.

Amino-group-specific natural abundance nitrogen isotope ratio analysis in amino acids

Amino acid (AA) nitrogen (N) stable isotope ratio analysis has found a wide variety of important applications including indication of the trophic level of an organism, tracing N transfer within food webs, and monitoring of AA resynthesis during heterotrophic microbial reworking of organic matter. Despite its utility, the current methodology is difficult to employ consistently for natural abundance level precision. Here, we report a new and robust method for high-precision N-compound-specific isotope analysis (N-PCIA) for single-N-containing AAs and N-position-specific isotope analysis (N-PSIA) for poly-N AAs. First the amino-N in AAs was liberated and oxidized to NO2(-) by hypochlorite at high pH. The NO2(-) produced was then quantified colorimetrically with excess hypochlorite quenched using arsenite. Subsequently, buffered azide was used to reduce NO2(-) to N2O for isotope ratio analysis using a purge-and-trap isotope ratio mass spectrometer. In the case of glycine delta15N, the average precision was SD = 0.3 per thousand. Reaction yields and labeling experiments show that this oxidation reaction is highly specific, targeting the alpha-amino group (peptide-N) of most poly-N AAs. This permits specific determination of the delta15N of peptide-N in arginine, tryptophan, and histidine. In the case of lysine, however, the side-chain amino group was found to be partially labile to hypochlorite oxidation. Using isotope fractionation factors estimated from single-N analogues of lysine, the intramolecular delta15N of lysine was calculated by mass balance, and this generally agreed with results for the same sample material analyzed by a previously published enzymatic method. Our method has the advantages of being relatively rapid, robust, and applicable to all poly-N AAs. We have also found it to work well for determining total delta15N of amino-N in complex sample matrices that have not been susceptible to previous approaches.

Characterization of ethyl chloroformate derivative of beta-methylamino-L-alanine

Beta-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) is a neurotoxic amino acid that can be produced by cyanobacteria in aqueous environments. To analyze this compound by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), BMAA must be derivatized to a nonpolar, volatile compound. This can be accomplished by reacting BMAA with ethyl chloroformate. While carrying out electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometric analysis on the (13)C-labeled derivative, it was discovered that the formation of an ion with a peak at m/z 245.12 is the result of [CH(3)CH(2)O.] loss from the amino groups resulting from alpha-cleavage. This differs from previous reports that attributed this peak to alpha-cleavage of the carboxylic ester portion of the BMAA derivative. This finding is important for understanding BMAA derivative mass spectrometric fragmentation patterns and ultimately to properly identifying and quantifying BMAA. Fragmentation pathways for the formation of other major peaks observed in the EI mass spectra are also proposed.

An evaluation of GC-MS and HPLC-FD methods for analysis of protein binders in paintings

Two chromatographic methods have been compared for analysis of protein-binding media used in paintings, namely, HPLC with fluorescence detection and GC-MS. The proteins were hydrolyzed to the corresponding amino acids (AAs) by gaseous HCl and the AAs were derivatized with methyl chloroformate, followed by GC-MS or by HPLC after derivatization with the AccQ fluorescence reagent. The hydrolysis, derivatization reactions and the chromatographic procedures have been optimized and applied to standard binding media, model and real samples of paintings. The methods have been compared and critically evaluated.

In vitro biosynthesis of volicitin in Spodoptera litura

Volicitin [N-(17-hydroxylinolenoyl)-L-glutamine] and N-linolenoyl-L-glutamine, originally identified in the regurgitant of Spodoptera exigua, induce damaged corn leaves to release volatile compounds which enable parasitic wasps to locate host caterpillars. Here we demonstrate the in vitro biosynthesis of volicitin for the first time by using gut tissues of Spodoptera litura larvae, as well as N-linolenoyl-L-glutamine. When crop, midgut tissues, peritrophic membrane and gut contents isolated from S. litura were incubated with sodium linolenate and L-[alpha-15N] glutamine, not only 15N-labeled N-linolenoyl-L-glutamine but 15N-labeled volicitin was detected mainly in the midgut incubation by LCMS and LCMSMS analysis. In contrast, there were negligible amounts of the newly biosynthesized compounds in the gut content incubation. Furthermore, the microsomal fraction obtained from the gut tissues clearly showed specific incorporation of glutamine. This substrate selectivity accounts for the exclusive uptake of glutamine by fatty acid amides (FAAs) in the noctuid caterpillars, even though glutamine was not a major component in the regurgitant. Additionally, intensive chemical analyses revealed that more than 20% of glutamine in hemolymph was present as conjugates in gut contents. These results suggest that FAA compounds are actively synthesized by caterpillar tissues and might play important physiological role(s) in glutamine metabolism.

15N/14N Position-Specific Isotopic Analyses of Polynitrogenous Amino Acids

15N/14N isotope ratios are widely used to study processes and systems involving amino acids. Nitrogen isotope fractionation in biological processes occurs primarily at sites of bond-breaking and formation; the finest discrimination for "isotopic fingerprinting" and studies of isotopic fluxes is thus obtained at the position-specific level. While there are numerous reports of natural intramolecular carbon isotope variability, there are no literature reports of 15N/14N position-specific isotopic analysis (N-PSIA) of biologically relevant molecules. We report a methodology for high-precision N-PSIA of four polynitrogenous alpha-amino acids (asparagine, glutamine, lysine, histidine) and the first survey of natural intramolecular 15N/14N in these biomolecules. Selective liberation of N-atoms from multiple commercial standards of each parent amino acid was achieved by an appropriate enzymatic reaction or by acid hydrolysis. 15N/14N measurements were performed on N-ethoxycarbonyl ethyl ester derivatives of the parent amino acids and their analogues by gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and the average precision for replicate injections was found to be SD(delta15N) = 0.3%. Position-specific delta15N values of the parent amino acid were directly observed or indirectly calculated using mass balance. The average precision obtained for directly measured positions was SD(delta15N) = 0.2-0.4%. The average precision for indirectly obtained positions was SD(delta15N) = 0.6-1.3% as a result of propagation of errors. Enrichment in the side chain-N with respect to the peptide-N was observed in nearly all of the amino acid sources, most notably in asparagine (average delta delta(side-peptide) = + 11%), which may be indicative of its method of production. In some cases, it was possible to distinguish commercial sources by N-PSIA that could not be distinguished at the compound-specific level.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of indoleacetic acid and tryptophan following aqueous chloroformate derivatisation of Rhizobium exudates

A new method for preparing alkyl esters of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in aqueous solution is adapted from the chloroformate method originally described by Husek for the analysis of amino acids. This method has the significant advantage of avoiding the generation and use of diazomethane, and is done in aqueous solution without the need to dry the sample with concomitant non-specific losses of IAA. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated by its use in an isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) assay of IAA and L-tryptophan (Trp) in the culture supernatant of a series of Sinorhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii strains that can interact with rice to either enhance or inhibit rice plant growth. We were testing the hypothesis that the rice growth inhibition was related to the biosynthesis of IAA. It was found that S. meliloti and Rhizobium strains produced high amounts of IAA in Trp supplemented BIII minimal medium compared to BIII media. All the strains produced more than the minimum amount of IAA required to inhibit rice growth and thus IAA is not the major inhibitory factor of rice seedling growth from S. meliloti and Rhizobium strains.

Identification of diamino acids in the Murchison meteorite

Amino acids identified in the Murchison chondritic meteorite by molecular and isotopic analysis are thought to have been delivered to the early Earth by asteroids, comets, and interplanetary dust particles where they may have triggered the appearance of life by assisting in the synthesis of proteins via prebiotic polycondensation reactions [Oró, J. (1961) Nature 190, 389-390; Chyba, C. F. & Sagan, C. (1992) Nature 355, 125-132]. We report the identification of diamino acids in the Murchison meteorite by new enantioselective GC-MS analyses. dl-2,3-diaminopropanoic acid, dl-2,4-diaminobutanoic acid, 4,4'-diaminoisopentanoic acid, 3,3'-diaminoisobutanoic acid, and 2,3-diaminobutanoic acid were detected in the parts per billion range after chemical transformation into N,N-diethoxycarbonyl ethyl ester derivatives. The chiral diamino acids show a racemic ratio. Laboratory data indicate that diamino acids support the formation of polypeptide structures under primitive Earth conditions [Brack, A. & Orgel, L. E. (1975) Nature 256, 383-387] and suggest polycondensation reactions of diamino acids into early peptide nucleic acid material as one feasible pathway for the prebiotic evolution of DNA and RNA genomes [Joyce, G. F. (2002) Nature 418, 214-221]. The results obtained in this study favor the assumption that not only amino acids (as the required monomers of proteins) form in interstellar/circumstellar environments, but also the family of diamino monocarboxylic acids, which might have been relevant in prebiotic chemistry.

Rapid determination of amino acids in neonatal blood samples based on derivatization with isobutyl chloroformate followed by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

The purpose of this study was to develop a simple, rapid and sensitive analytical method for determination of amino acids in neonatal blood samples. The developed method involves the employment of derivatization and a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique together with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Amino acids in blood samples were derivatized by a mixture of isobutyl chloroformate, methanol and pyridine, and the N(O,S)-alkoxycarbonyl alkyl esters thus formed were headspace extracted by a SPME fiber. Finally, the extracted analytes on the fiber were desorbed and detected by GC/MS in electron impact (EI) mode. L-Valine, L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-phenylanaline and L-tyrosine in blood samples were quantitatively analyzed by measurement of the corresponding N(O,S)-alkoxycarbonyl alkyl esters using an external standard method. SPME conditions were optimized, and the method was validated. The method was applied to diagnosis of neonatal phenylkenuria (PKU) and maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) by the analyses of five amino acids in blood samples. The results showed that the proposed method is a potentially powerful tool for simultaneous screening for neonatal PKU and MSUD.

Comparison of different chloroformates for the derivatisation of seleno amino acids for gas chromatographic analysis

Three chloroformate reagents, ethyl chloroformate (ECF), methyl chloroformate (MCF) and menthyl chloroformate (MenCF), have been used for the derivatisation of seleno amino acids and their performance was compared. Chromatographic parameters and the inertness of the different instrumental configurations used (gas chromatography-atomic emission detection (GC-AED), and GC-MS) were shown to have a significant influence on the detection of various seleno amino acids (selenomethione, selenoethione and selenocysteine) and some sulphur-containing amino acids (methionine, cysteine, cystine and methylcysteine) which were included in the experiments for comparison. Methyl chloroformate was the preferred derivatisation reagent, since it generally performed best in terms of derivatisation yield and reproducibility and also showed less significant conditioning effects than ethyl chloroformate. Methyl and ethyl chloroformate derivatives of selenomethionine, selenoethionine, cysteine and methionine were detectable, while the detection of the menthyl chloroformate derivatives of selenocystine and cystine was not reproducible. Overall efficiencies for the determination of selenomethionine and selenoethionine from aqueous extracts ranged from 40 to 100% for methyl chloroformate, over 30-75% for ethyl chloroformate to 15-70% for menthyl chloroformate for different series measured over a period of months. The relative standard deviation of the method for the methyl and menthyl chloroformate derivatisation ranged from 7 to 13% without internal standard and was improved to 2% for the determination of selenomethionine using selenoethionine as internal standard. This indicates that, despite the limited reproducibility of the method, its repeatability is good enough to allow accurate determination of seleno amino acids, which was also demonstrated by the analysis of selenium supplementation tablets for human diet that contained selenomethionine.

Relationship between myelin production and dopamine synthesis in the PKU mouse brain

Phenylketonuria is caused by specific mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene and is characterized by elevated blood phenylalanine levels, hypomyelination in forebrain structures, reduced dopamine levels, and cognitive difficulties. To determine whether brain tyrosine levels and/or myelination play a role in the up-regulation of dopamine, phenylketonuric mice were placed on a low phenylalanine diet for 4 weeks and as blood phenylalanine levels dropped to normal, the relationships between phenylalanine, tyrosine, dopamine, myelin proteins, and axonal proteins in frontal cortex and striatum were determined using gas chromatography mass spectrometry, histology, and western blotting techniques. Blood phenylalanine rapidly decreased from an eight-fold elevation to near control levels, and blood tyrosine gradually rose from about 50% to near normal values. In frontal cortex and striatum, phenylalanine levels dropped to 2- and 1.5-fold elevations above control, respectively, and tyrosine levels increased but remained less than 70% of control in both structures. In frontal cortex, increases in dopamine and myelin basic protein occurred in a similar biphasic pattern, reaching near normal levels by week 4. In striatum, dopamine and MBP dramatically increased to near normal levels in the first week. Myelination was confirmed histologically and by western blot quantification of phosphorylated neurofilaments. In summary, our results showed: (i) an increase in dopamine despite low brain tyrosine levels and (ii) similar recovery patterns for myelination and dopamine. Since myelin/axonal interactions trigger signaling pathways that result in axonal maturation, we speculate that this interaction also may trigger signals that up-regulate neurotransmitter synthesis.

Chirality and the origin of life: in situ enantiomeric separation for future space missions

Two different methods of derivatization were studied in order to select and optimize one for the in situ enantiomeric separation of amino acids present in Martian samples. The method, using DMF-DMA [N,N-dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal], is simple and easily automated. However, byproducts of the reaction interfere in the gas chromatograms and mass spectrometry detection is needed for in situ analysis. The chloroformate derivatization has several advantages, including the use of achiral robust capillary column, room temperature reaction, and short analysis. The choice of the definitive derivatization method will depend on the energy and time devoted to the analysis of amino acids in the next Mars exploration missions.

Amino acids from ultraviolet irradiation of interstellar ice analogues

Amino acids are the essential molecular components of living organisms on Earth, but the proposed mechanisms for their spontaneous generation have been unable to account for their presence in Earth's early history. The delivery of extraterrestrial organic compounds has been proposed as an alternative to generation on Earth, and some amino acids have been found in several meteorites. Here we report the detection of amino acids in the room-temperature residue of an interstellar ice analogue that was ultraviolet-irradiated in a high vacuum at 12 K. We identified 16 amino acids; the chiral ones showed enantiomeric separation. Some of the identified amino acids are also found in meteorites. Our results demonstrate that the spontaneous generation of amino acids in the interstellar medium is possible, supporting the suggestion that prebiotic molecules could have been delivered to the early Earth by cometary dust, meteorites or interplanetary dust particles.

Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for quantitation of phenylalanine and tyrosine in serum

A validated gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for quantitation of phenylalanine and tyrosine in serum is described. Quantitation of phenylalanine and tyrosine with a non-labelled non-endogenous internal standard, L-2-chlorophenylalanine, compared favourably with isotope dilution mass spectrometric quantitation. The 95% reference ranges for phenylalanine. tyrosine and the phenylalanine-tyrosine molar ratio in neonate cord blood serum were determined by isotope dilution mass spectrometry and were found to be 77.1-144.7, 33.3-109.3 micromol/l and 1.1-3.0, respectively.

Simultaneous determination of methionine and total homocysteine in human plasma by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for the simultaneous determination of methionine and total homocysteine in human plasma is described. DL-[2H4]Methionine and DL-[2H8]homocystine were used as internal standards. The method involved reduction of the disulfide bond with dithiothreitol, purification by cation-exchange chromatography using a BondElut SCX cartridge and derivatization with isobutyl chlorocarbonate in water-ethanol-pyridine. Quantitation was performed by selected-ion monitoring of the quasi-molecular ions of N(O,S)-isobutyloxycarbonyl ethyl ester (IBC-OEt) derivatives for methionine and [2H4]methionine, respectively, and the fragment ions ([M+H-COOisoBu-COOEt]+) for TBC-OEt derivatives for homocysteine and [2H4]homocysteine, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and precision of the method were demonstrated to be satisfactory for measuring concentrations of methionine and total homocysteine in human plasma.

Separation of amino acids by ion mobility spectrometry

The mobilities of the 20 common amino acids were determined by electrospray ionization ion mobility spectrometry. It was found that each amino acid had a different drift time and hence a different reduced mobility constant K0. This difference in drift time was less than 0.1 ms in many cases. With the instrument used in this study it would not be possible to resolve mixtures of some of the amino acids. It would however be possible to determine any single amino acid. In addition, the detection limits were determined for the 20 amino acids. They ranged from 50 to 700 pg. This indicates that the detection limits were less than 3 pmol for all of the amino acids and that many amino acids had detection limits less than 1 pmol.

Is there a relationship between 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme a reductase activity and forebrain pathology in the PKU mouse?

Previous reports have suggested that elevated levels of phenylalanine inhibit cholesterol synthesis. The goals of this study were to investigate if perturbations in cholesterol synthesis exist in the PAH(enu2) genetic mouse model for phenylketonuria (PKU), and if so, initiate studies determining if they might underlie the white matter pathology that exists in PKU forebrain. Gross sections and electron microscopy showed that select tracts were hypomyelinated in adult PKU mouse forebrain but not hindbrain. The activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR), the rate controlling enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, was examined in isolated microsomes from forebrain, hindbrain, and liver to assess if perturbations in cholesterol biosynthesis were occurring. HMGR activity was normal in unaffected PKU hindbrain and was increased 2-4-fold in PKU liver compared to control. HMGR activity in the forebrain, however, was decreased by 30%. Because normal numbers of MBP-expressing glia (oligodendrocytes) were present, but the number of glia expressing HMGR was reduced by 40% in the hypomyelinated tracts, the decreased HMGR activity seemed to result from a down-regulation of HMGR expression in affected oligodendrocytes. Exposure of an oligodendrocyte-like glioma cell line to physiologically relevant elevated levels of Phe resulted in a 30% decrease in cholesterol synthesis, a 28% decrease in microsomal HMGR activity, and a 28% decrease in HMGR protein levels. Measurement of HMGR activity after addition of exogenous Phe to control brain microsomes revealed that Phe is a noncompetitive inhibitor of HMGR; physiologically relevant elevated levels of exogenous Phe inhibited HMGR activity by 30%. Taken together, these data suggest that HMGR is moderately inhibited in the PKU mouse. Unlike other cell types in the body, a subset of oligodendrocytes in the forebrain seems to be unable to overcome this inhibition. We speculate that this may be the cause of the observed pathology in PKU brain.

Measurement of 5-hydroxy-2-aminovaleric acid as a specific marker of iron-mediated oxidation of proline and arginine side-chain residues of low-density lipoprotein apolipoprotein B-100

An alteration of apolipoprotein (apo) B-100 structure by direct oxidative modification is supposed to be an important mechanism involved in atherogenesis. There is difficulty in quantifying this type of modification owing to a lack of specific assays. We evaluated a methodology based on the oxidation of protein arginine and proline to gamma-glutamyl semialdehyde which by reduction forms 5-hydroxy-2-aminovaleric acid (HAVA). We determined HAVA by using derivatization to N(O)-ethoxycarbonyl ethyl esters and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in different low-density lipoprotein preparations subjected to oxidative damage in the presence of iron. Results suggest that apoB-100 proline and arginine residues are highly reactive toward oxygen radicals ex vivo. Femtomole levels of HAVA can be reproducible measured. HAVA determination compares well with the measurement of carbonyl group formation used as a generally accepted but nonspecific index of protein oxidation. Thus, HAVA could prove to be a sensitive assay for studying specific modification of apoB-100.

Isotopomer analysis using GC-MS

Knowledge of the complete isotopomer distribution represents the ultimate amount of information on the labeling pattern of a metabolite. One technique for measuring the isotopomer distributions is the analysis of the multiplet intensities arising from the 13C-13C couplings in NMR spectroscopy. While this technique has proven to be very valuable in the elucidation of labeling patterns of C2 and C3 units of various amino acids, fragments larger than C3 are very difficult to measure. Another technique, GC-MS, offers a unique possibility of analyzing fragments larger than C3 and GC-MS is therefore able to give information which is complementary to the information that can be obtained from NMR spectroscopy. In this work we have developed fast, simple, and robust GC-MS methods that can be used to gain information on the labeling patterns of the amino acids in a crude biomass hydrolysate. It is shown that a combination of information obtained from these analyses and information from the NMR spectroscopy is able to yield a much more complete picture of the isotopomer distributions of the amino acids than any of the two techniques alone. The GC-MS method was used for analyzing the labeling patterns of amino acids from a batch cultivation of Penicillium chrysogenum grown on fully labeled glucose. The data from this analysis showed no signs of any significant carbon isotope effects, and the measurements can therefore be used without corrections for metabolic flux analysis.

Quantitation of blood and plasma amino acids using isotope dilution electron impact gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with U-(13)C amino acids as internal standards

A method to quantitate blood and plasma amino acids by isotope dilution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/mS) is described. Samples were spiked with U-(13)C amino acids as internal standards and the tert-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives (tBDMS) separated by capillary column gas chromatography. Linear regression curves, generated for individual amino acids, gave correlation coefficients of 0.9999. The reproducibility of the method was assessed from the analysis of 10 replicate blood and plasma samples. For most amino acids a coefficient of variance (CV) of </=1% was obtained with the exception of aspartate which gave a value of 1.8%. This was probably due to the low concentration of this amino acid in the samples analysed. Recovery of amino acids added to plasma was between 96 and 103%. The use of electron impact ionization (EI) allows the method to be used in laboratories where only the more basic GC/mS is available and reduces the time spent on instrument maintenance. The method should prove useful in areas of work where accurate and precise amino acid concentrations are required.

Identification of nonprotein amino acids from cycad seeds as N-ethoxycarbonyl ethyl ester derivatives by positive chemical-ionization gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Nonprotein amino acids from nine species of cycad seeds were analyzed as N-ethoxycarbonyl ethyl ester (ECEE) derivatives by positive chemical-ionization gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Based on the retention times and mass spectrometry analyses, 12 nonprotein amino acids were identified in these seeds. In addition to the excitatory and putative neurotoxin beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), the known neurotoxin beta-N-oxalylamino-L-alanine (BOAA) was detected from the seeds of Macrozamia moorei and M. communis, and delta-N-oxalyl-ornithine was obtained from the Cycas revoluta seeds. A novel nonprotein amino acid named cycasindene, previously reported from C. revoluta, was also found in the seeds of members of the C. angulata and C. rumphii complex. Eight additional known nonprotein amino acids were also identified. This is the first report of the neurotoxin BOAA from cycad seeds.