MALDI linear-field reflectron TOF post-source decay analysis of underivatized oligosaccharides: determination of glycosidic linkages and anomeric configurations using anion attachment

The collision-induced dissociation mechanism of sodiated Hex-HexNAc disaccharides

Determining carbohydrate structures, such as their compositions, linkage positions, and in particular the anomers and stereoisomers, is a great challenge. Isomers of different anomers or stereoisomers have the same sequences of chemical bonds, but have different orientations of some chemical bonds which are difficult to be distinguished by mass spectrometry. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) tandem mass spectroscopy (MS/MS) is a widely used technique for characterizing carbohydrate structures. Understanding the carbohydrate dissociation mechanism is important for obtaining the structural information from MS/MS. In this work, we studied the CID mechanism of galactose-N-acetylgalactosamine (Gal-GalNAc) and glucose-N-acetylglucosamine (Glc-GlcNAc) disaccharides with 1→3 and 1→4 linkages. For Gal-GalNAc disaccharides, the CID mass spectra of sodium ion adducts show significant difference between the α- and β-anomers of GalNAc at the reducing end, while no difference in the CID mass spectra between two anomers of Glc-GlcNAc disaccharides was found. Quantum chemistry calculations show that for Gal-GalNAc disaccharides, the difference of the dissociation barriers between dehydration and glycosidic bond cleavage is significantly small in the β-anomer compared to that in the α-anomer; while these differences are similar between the α- and β-anomers of Glc-GlcNAc disaccharides. These differences can be attributed to the different orientations of hydroxyl and N-acetyl groups located at GalNAc and GlcNAc. The calculation results are consistent with the CID spectra of isotope labelled disaccharides. Our study provides an insight into the CID of 1→3 and 1→4 linked Gal-GalNAc and Glc-GlcNAc disaccharides. This information is useful for determining the anomeric configurations of GalNAc in oligosaccharides.

Gluco-oligosaccharides as potential prebiotics: Synthesis, purification, structural characterization, and evaluation of prebiotic effect

Prebiotics have long been used to modulate the gut microbiota and improve host health. Most established prebiotics are nondigestible carbohydrates, especially short-chain oligosaccharides. Recently, gluco-oligosaccharides (GlcOS) with 2-10 glucose residues and one or more O-glycosidic linkage(s) have been found to exert prebiotic potentials (not fully established prebiotics) because of their selective fermentation by beneficial gut bacteria. However, the prebiotic effects (non-digestibility, selective fermentability, and potential health effects) of GlcOS are highly variable due to their complex structure originating from different synthesis processes. The relationship between GlcOS structure and their potential prebiotic effects has not been fully understood. To date, a comprehensive summary of the knowledge of GlcOS is still missing. Therefore, this review provides an overview of GlcOS as potential prebiotics, covering their synthesis, purification, structural characterization, and prebiotic effect evaluation. First, GlcOS with different structures are introduced. Then, the enzymatic and chemical processes for GlcOS synthesis are critically reviewed, including reaction mechanisms, substrates, catalysts, the structures of resultant GlcOS, and the synthetic performance (yield and selectivity). Industrial separation techniques for GlcOS purification and structural characterization methods are discussed in detail. Finally, in vitro and in vivo studies to evaluate the non-digestibility, selective fermentability, and associated health effects of different GlcOS are extensively reviewed with a special focus on the GlcOS structure-function relationship.

Electrospray ionization in-source decay of N-glycans and the effects on N-glycan structural identification

RATIONAL

Electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) are soft ionization techniques commonly used in mass spectrometry. Although in-source and post-source decays of MALDI have been investigated extensively, the analogous decays of ESI have received little attention. Previous studies regarding the analogous decays of ESI focus on the dissociation of multiply charged proteins and peptides. The decay of carbohydrates in ESI has not been investigated yet, and it may have interference in carbohydrate structural determination.

METHODS

Commercial apparatus, including a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), an ESI source, and a linear ion trap mass spectrometer, were used to investigate the fragmentation of several N-glycans during the ESI process.

RESULTS

About 0.2%-3% of neutral N-glycans and more than 50% of N-glycans consisting of a sialic acid are dissociated into small N-glycans by ESI in-source decay in typical ESI operating conditions. The efficiencies of most dissociation channels increase as the temperature of ion transfer capillary increases, indicating that part of the energy deposited into the precursor ions for cracking is from the heated capillary. The cracking patterns of ESI in-source decay are slightly different from those of gaseous phase collision-induced dissociation.

CONCLUSIONS

Large N-glycans are dissociated into small N-glycans in ESI in-source decay that may result in the interference of the structural identification of small N-glycans. Separation of large N-glycans from small N-glycans, for example, using HPLC, prior to ESI ionization is necessary to eliminate the interference. This is particularly important when N-glycans consist of sialic acid or large N-glycans have much higher concentration than that of small N-glycans in ESI solution.

Carboxyl-Based CPMP Tag for Ultrasensitive Analysis of Disaccharides by Negative Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Here, we develop a sensitive method for glucose-containing disaccharide analysis by 1-(4-carboxyphenyl)-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (CPMP) derivatization using mass spectrometry. The intense anion of [M - H]^- (m/z 759) was observed for CPMP-labeled disaccharides in a negative mode. After derivatization, its sensitivity was significantly increased with the limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQ) ranging from 3.90 to 8.67 ng L^-1 and 12.99 to 28.92 ng L^-1, respectively. During CID-MS/MS analysis, the fragment patterns of CPMP derivatized disaccharides in the negative mode were simpler and clearer than their counterparts in a positive mode, which further could be applied to distinct and relatively quantitative isomeric disaccharides with ultrahigh sensitivity and good reproducibility. The great linear relationships could be achieved under wider concentration ratios from 0.01 to 20 compared to the previous report. Eventually, the developed methodology was applicable to identify isomeric disaccharides in beers. No sucrose was discovered. All beers contain 1,4- and 1,6-linked disaccharides. Some of them also have a mixture of 1,2- and 1,3-linked disaccharides. Through the integration of statistical analysis, beers with different production processes were finally discriminated, and the relative quantification of isomaltose and maltose was realized. In general, this method is sensitive, fast, and reliable for the discrimination and relative quantification of isomeric disaccharides in complex matrices. This study provides a new idea for the structural analysis of oligosaccharides in food, plants, and animals and an important theoretical basis for the exploration of new functions of oligosaccharides.

Collision-Induced Dissociation of Cellobiose and Maltose

Structure determination is a longstanding bottleneck of carbohydrate research. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is one of the most widely used methods for carbohydrate structure determination. However, the effectiveness of MS/MS depends on how the precursor structures are derived from the observed fragments. Understanding the dissociation mechanisms is crucial for MS/MS-based structure determination. Herein, we investigate the collision-induced dissociation mechanism of β-cellobiose and β-maltose sodium adducts using quantum chemical calculations and experimental measurements. Four dissociation channels are studied. Dehydration mainly occurs through the transfer of an H atom to O1 of the sugar at the reducing end, followed by a C1-O1 bond cleavage; cross-ring dissociation starts with a ring-opening reaction, which occurs through the transfer of an H atom from O1 to O5 of the sugar at the reducing end. These two dissociation channels are analogous to that of glucose monosaccharide. The third channel, generation of B₁ and Y₁ ions, occurs through the transfer of an H atom from O3 (cellobiose) or O2 (maltose) to O1 of the sugar at the nonreducing end, followed by a glycosidic bond cleavage. The fourth channel, C₁-Z₁ fragmentation, has two mechanisms: (1) the transfer of an H atom from O3 or O2 to O4 of the sugar at the reducing end to generate C ions in the ring form and (2) the transfer of an H atom from O3 of the sugar at the reducing end to O5 of the sugar at the nonreducing end to produce C ions in the linear form. The results of calculations are supported by experimental collision-induced dissociation spectral measurements.

Structure-Specific Fermentation of Galacto-Oligosaccharides, Isomalto-Oligosaccharides and Isomalto/Malto-Polysaccharides by Infant Fecal Microbiota and Impact on Dendritic Cell Cytokine Responses

SCOPE

Next to galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), starch-derived isomalto-oligosaccharide preparation (IMO) and isomalto/malto-polysaccharides (IMMP) could potentially be used as prebiotics in infant formulas. However, it remains largely unknown how the specific molecular structures of these non-digestible carbohydrates (NDCs) impact fermentability and immune responses in infants.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In vitro fermentation of GOS, IMO and IMMP using infant fecal inoculum of 2- and 8-week-old infants shows that only GOS and IMO are fermented by infant fecal microbiota. The degradation of GOS and IMO coincides with an increase in Bifidobacterium and production of acetate and lactate, which is more pronounced with GOS. Individual isomers with an (1↔1)-linkage or di-substituted reducing terminal glucose residue are more resistant to fermentation. GOS, IMO, and IMMP fermentation digesta attenuates cytokine profiles in immature dendritic cells (DCs), but the extent is dependent on the infants age and NDC structure.

CONCLUSION

The IMO preparation, containing reducing and non-reducing isomers, shows similar fermentation patterns as GOS in fecal microbiota of 2-week-old infants. Knowledge obtained on the substrate specificities of infant fecal microbiota and the subsequent regulatory effects of GOS, IMO and IMMP on DC responses might contribute to the design of tailored NDC mixtures for infants of different age groups.

Fragmentation mechanisms of protonated cyclodextrins in tandem mass spectrometry

Tandem mass spectrometry has found widespread application as a powerful tool for the characterization of linear and branched oligosaccharides. Though the technique has been applied to the analysis of cyclic oligosaccharides as well, the underlying fragmentation mechanisms have hardly been investigated. This study focuses on the mechanistic aspects of the gas-phase dissociation of protonated β-cyclodextrins. Elucidation of the dissociation mechanisms is supported by tandem mass spectrometric experiments and by experiments on di- and trimethylated cyclodextrin derivatives. The fragmentation pathway comprises the linearization of the macrocyclic structure as the initial step of the decomposition, followed by the elimination of glucose subunits and the subsequent release of water and formaldehyde moieties from the glucose monomer and dimer fragment ions. Linearization of the macrocycle occurs due to proton-driven scission of the glycosidic bond adjacent to carbon atom C1 in conjunction with the formation of a new hydroxy group. The resulting ring-opened structure further decomposes in charge-independent processes forming either zwitterionic fragments, a 1,4-anhydroglucose moiety, or a new macrocyclic structure, that is lost as a neutral, and an oxonium ion. Since the hydroxy group formed at the ring-opening site can be regarded as the non-reducing end of the linearized structure, the fragment ion nomenclature commonly used for linear and branched oligosaccharides, which relies on the designation of a reducing and a non-reducing end, can also be applied to the description of fragment ions derived from cyclic structures.

Touching the High Complexity of Prebiotic Vivinal Galacto-oligosaccharides Using Porous Graphitic Carbon Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are used in infant formula to replace the health effects of human milk oligosaccharides, which appear to be dependent upon the structure of the individual oligosaccharides present. However, a comprehensive overview of the structure-specific effects is still limited as a result of the high structural complexity of GOS. In this study, porous graphitic carbon (PGC) was used as the stationary phase during ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). This approach resulted in the recognition of more than 100 different GOS structures in one single run, including reducing and non-reducing GOS isomers. Using nuclear magnetic resonance-validated structures of GOS trisaccharides, we discovered MS fragmentation rules to distinguish reducing isomers with a mono- and disubstituted terminal glucose by UHPLC-PGC-MS. UHPLC-PGC-MS enabled effective recognition of structural features of individual GOS components in complex GOS preparations and during, e.g., biological conversion reactions. Hence, this study lays the groundwork for future research into structure-specific health effects of GOS.

Logically derived sequence tandem mass spectrometry for structural determination of Galactose oligosaccharides

Mass spectrometry has high sensitivity and is widely used in the identification of molecular structures, however, the structural determination of oligosaccharides through mass spectrometry is still challenging. A novel method, namely the logically derived sequence (LODES) tandem mass spectrometry (MSⁿ), for the structural determination of underivatized oligosaccharides was developed. This method, which is based on the dissociation mechanisms, involves sequential low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) of sodium ion adducts, a logical sequence for identifying the structurally decisive product ions for subsequent CID, and a specially prepared disaccharide CID spectrum database. In this work, we reported the assignment of the specially prepared galactose disaccharide CID spectra. We used galactose trisaccharides and tetrasaccharides as examples to demonstrate LODES/MSⁿ is a general method that can be used for the structural determination of hexose oligosaccharides. LODES/MSⁿ has the potential to be extended to oligosaccharides containing other monosaccharides provided the dissociation mechanisms are understood and the corresponding disaccharide database is available.

Linkage and sequence analysis of neutral oligosaccharides by negative-ion MALDI tandem mass spectrometry with laser-induced dissociation

Mass spectrometry (MS) has become the primary method for high-sensitivity structural determination of oligosaccharides. Fragmentation in the negative-ion MS can provide a wealth of structural information and these can be used for sequence determination. However, although negative-ion MS of neutral oligosaccharide using the deprotonated molecule [M-H]^- as the precursor has been very successful for electrospray ionization (ESI), it has only limited success for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI). In the present study, the features of negative-ion MALDI primary spectra were investigated in detail and the product-ion spectra using [M-H]^- and [M+Cl]^- as the precursors were carefully compared. The formation of [M-H]^- was the main difficulty for MALDI while [M+Cl]^- was proved to be useful as alternative precursor anion for MALDI-MS/MS to produce similar fragmentation for sequencing of neutral oligosaccharides. N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine dihydrochloride was then used as both the matrix and the Cl^- dopant to evaluate the extent of structural information that can be obtained by negative-ion fragmentation from [M+Cl]^- using laser-induced dissociation (LID)-MS/MS for linkage assignment of gluco-oligosaccharides and for typing of blood-group ABO(H) and Lewis antigens on either type 1 or type 2 backbone-chains.

Simple Method for De Novo Structural Determination of Underivatised Glucose Oligosaccharides

Carbohydrates have various functions in biological systems. However, the structural analysis of carbohydrates remains challenging. Most of the commonly used methods involve derivatization of carbohydrates or can only identify part of the structure. Here, we report a de novo method for completely structural identification of underivatised oligosaccharides. This method, which can provide assignments of linkages, anomeric configurations, and branch locations, entails low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) of sodium ion adducts that enable the cleavage of selective chemical bonds, a logical procedure to identify structurally decisive fragment ions for subsequent CID, and the specially prepared disaccharide CID spectrum databases. This method was first applied to determine the structures of four underivatised glucose oligosaccharides. Then, high-performance liquid chromatography and a mass spectrometer with a built-in logical procedure were established to demonstrate the capability of the in situ CID spectrum measurement and structural determination of the oligosaccharides in chromatogram. This consolidation provides a simple, rapid, sensitive method for the structural determination of glucose oligosaccharides, and applications to oligosaccharides containing hexoses other than glucose can be made provided the corresponding disaccharide databases are available.

Simple Approach for De Novo Structural Identification of Mannose Trisaccharides

Oligosaccharides have diverse functions in biological systems. However, the structural determination of oligosaccharides remains difficult and has created a bottleneck in carbohydrate research. In this study, a new approach for the de novo structural determination of underivatized oligosaccharides is demonstrated. A low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) of sodium ion adducts was used to facilitate the cleavage of desired chemical bonds during the dissociation. The selection of fragments for the subsequent CID was guided using a procedure that we built from the understanding of the saccharide dissociation mechanism. The linkages, anomeric configurations, and branch locations of oligosaccharides were determined by comparing the CID spectra of oligosaccharide with the fragmentation patterns based on the dissociation mechanism and our specially prepared disaccharide CID spectrum database. The usefulness of this method was demonstrated to determine the structures of several mannose trisaccharides. This method can also be applied in the structural determination of oligosaccharides larger than trisaccharides and containing hexose other than mannose if authentic standards are available. Graphical Abstract.

Lactulose production by a thermostable glycoside hydrolase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Caldivirga maquilingensis IC-167

BACKGROUND

Lactulose has various uses in the food and pharmaceutical fields. Thermostable enzymes have many advantages for industrial exploitation, including high substrate solubilities as well as reduced risk of process contamination.

RESULTS

Enzymatic synthesis of lactulose employing a transgalactosylation reaction by a recombinant thermostable glycoside hydrolase (GH1) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Caldivirga maquilingensis IC-167 was investigated. The optimal pH for lactulose production was found to be 4.5, while the optimal temperature was 85 °C, before it dropped moderately to 83% at 90 °C. However, the relative activity for lactulose synthesis dropped sharply to 35% at 95 °C. At optimal reaction conditions of 70% (w/w) initial sugar substrates with molar ratio of lactose to fructose of 1:4, 15 U mL^-1 enzyme concentration and 85 °C, the time course reaction produced a maximum lactulose concentration of 108 g L^-1 at 4 h, corresponding to a lactulose yield of 14% and 27 g L^-1  h^-1 productivity with 84% lactose conversion. The transgalactosylation reaction for lactulose synthesis was greatly influenced by the ratio of galactose donor to acceptor.

CONCLUSION

This novel GH1 may be useful for process applications owing to its high activity in very concentrated substrate reaction media and promising thermostability. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Collision-induced dissociation of sodiated glucose, galactose, and mannose, and the identification of anomeric configurations

Different dehydration barrier heights of cis and trans configurations between O1 and O2 provide a simple and fast anomeric configuration identification.

Differentiation of Disaccharide Isomers by Temperature-Dependent In-Source Decay (TDISD) and DART-Q-TOF MS/MS

Helium direct analysis in real time (He-DART) mass spectrometry (MS) of some compounds, polysaccharides, for example, usually tends to be challenging because of the occurrence of prominent in-source decay (ISD), which was considered as an undesired side reaction, as it complicated the resulting mass spectra. Our approach is to take advantage of an efficient and practical method termed the temperature-dependent ISD (TDISD) technique combined with fragmentation of the dehydrated dimers using DART Q-TOF tandem mass spectrometry for differentiation of disaccharide isomers. In this study, cross-ring cleavages and non-ovalent complexes were detected in the spectra of the saccharides. It was observed that the gas heater temperature had a significant effect on the absence or presence of signal in DART spectra. At high gas temperature, ions in high mass region began to appear. Based on the types of cross-ring cleavages and noncovalent complexes, disaccharide isomers with different linkage positions can be differentiated in both positive and negative ion modes at a lower DART gas temperature. Additionally, anomeric configurations were assigned on the basis of the relative abundance ratio of m/z 198:342 obtained by the comparison of the positive ion mode tandem mass spectrum of an α isomer dimer generated at higher DART gas temperature and that of the corresponding β one. In general, this method is easy, fast, effective, and robust for identifying disaccharide isomers.

Linkage and anomeric differentiation in trisaccharides by sequential fragmentation and variable-wavelength infrared photodissociation

Carbohydrates and their derivatives play important roles in biological systems, but their isomeric heterogeneity also presents a considerable challenge for analytical techniques. Here, a stepwise approach using infrared multiple-photon dissociation (IRMPD) via a tunable CO2 laser (9.2-10.7 μm) was employed to characterize isomeric variants of glucose-based trisaccharides. After the deprotonated trisaccharides were trapped and fragmented to disaccharide C2 fragments in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) cell, a further variable-wavelength infrared irradiation of the C2 ion produced wavelength-dependent dissociation patterns that are represented as heat maps. The photodissociation patterns of these C2 fragments are shown to be strikingly similar to the photodissociation patterns of disaccharides with identical glycosidic bonds. Conversely, the photodissociation patterns of different glycosidic linkages exhibit considerable differences. On the basis of these results, the linkage position and anomericity of glycosidic bonds of disaccharide units in trisaccharides can be systematically differentiated and identified, providing a promising approach to characterize the structures of isomeric oligosaccharides.

Importance of the matrix and the matrix/sample ratio in MALDI-TOF-MS analysis of cathelicidins obtained from porcine neutrophils

Qualitative and quantitative mass spectrometric studies of biomolecules for example proteins, peptides, or lipids contained in biological samples like physiologic fluids are very important for many fields of science such as medicine, veterinary medicine, biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, or environmental sciences. In the last two decades, MALDI TOF MS — matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry, proved to be an especially convenient tool for these analyses. The main advantages of this method are its rapidity and high sensitivity which is particularly appreciated in the case of studies of complex biological specimen. A major challenge for many researchers is to maximize this sensitivity, among others, by appropriate procedures of sample preparation for the measurement. The objective of this work was to optimize these procedures, selecting the optimal matrix and optimum proportions of the sample and the matrix solution in a mixture of both solutions, aiming at the achievement of the maximum intensity of ion current. In this respect, five low molecular mass cathelicidins were studied: prophenin-2, protegrins 1–3, PR-39. All of them were obtained directly from the porcine blood. As a result of studies, the authors determined such experimental conditions when the intensity of investigated ionic current had the highest value.

Influence of seasonal variation on Thymus longicaulis C. Presl chemical composition and its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

Thymus longicaulis C. Presl. (Lamiaceae) is a small aromatic perennial herb typical of the Illyric-Mediterranean flora, traditionally used as remedy for cold, flu, cough, nephritis and abdominal pain. In order to carry out a thorough chemical and biological screening of the plant and to explore phenophases influence on its polyphenol content, samples of the plant were collected at different phases during its life cycle (July/October 2012 and January/April 2013). Each sample, previously extracted using a hydroalcoholic solution, was phytochemically analyzed for its metabolic constitution applying LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS techniques. Although identified metabolites were differently concentrated at the various collection times, T. longicaulis leaf extracts were mainly constituted by low molecular weight phenols, and flavonoids. Rosmarinic acid was found as the main metabolite in Oct12 sample. Chemopreventive efficacy of the investigated extracts, by means of their anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities, was assessed. To this purpose, each extract underwent an extensive screening towards five human cell lines: CCRF-CEM (leukemia); U251 (glioblastoma); MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer); HCT-116 (colon cancer) and MRC-5 (lung fibroblasts) through XTT [2,3bis(2-metoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-2H tetrazolium hydroxide] test. The ability of the extracts to counteract cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression was also evaluated by COX-2 expression assay in human THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages. COX-2 inhibition could represent a valuable anticancer strategy as it is associated with carcinogenesis and over-expressed in a variety of human malignancies. Oct12 extract, which was particularly rich in rosmarinic acid and methylapigenin, exhibited a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effectiveness.

Assignment of the stereochemistry and anomeric configuration of sugars within oligosaccharides via overlapping disaccharide ladders using MS(n)

A systematic approach is described that can pinpoint the stereo-structures (sugar identity, anomeric configuration, and location) of individual sugar units within linear oligosaccharides. Using a highly modified mass spectrometer, dissociation of linear oligosaccharides in the gas phase was optimized along multiple-stage tandem dissociation pathways (MS(n), n = 4 or 5). The instrument was a hybrid triple quadrupole/linear ion trap mass spectrometer capable of high-efficiency bidirectional ion transfer between quadrupole arrays. Different types of collision-induced dissociation (CID), either on-resonance ion trap or beam-type CID could be utilized at any given stage of dissociation, enabling either glycosidic bond cleavages or cross-ring cleavages to be maximized when wanted. The approach first involves optimizing the isolation of disaccharide units as an ordered set of overlapping substructures via glycosidic bond cleavages during early stages of MS(n), with explicit intent to minimize cross-ring cleavages. Subsequently, cross-ring cleavages were optimized for individual disaccharides to yield key diagnostic product ions (m/z 221). Finally, fingerprint patterns that establish stereochemistry and anomeric configuration were obtained from the diagnostic ions via CID. Model linear oligosaccharides were derivatized at the reducing end, allowing overlapping ladders of disaccharides to be isolated from MS(n). High confidence stereo-structural determination was achieved by matching MS(n) CID of the diagnostic ions to synthetic standards via a spectral matching algorithm. Using this MS(n) (n = 4 or 5) approach, the stereo-structures, anomeric configurations, and locations of three individual sugar units within two pentasaccharides were successfully determined.

Linkage determination of linear oligosaccharides by MS(n) (n > 2) collision-induced dissociation of Z₁ ions in the negative ion mode

Obtaining unambiguous linkage information between sugars in oligosaccharides is an important step in their detailed structural analysis. An approach is described that provides greater confidence in linkage determination for linear oligosaccharides based on multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry (MS(n), n >2) and collision-induced dissociation (CID) of Z1 ions in the negative ion mode. Under low energy CID conditions, disaccharides (18)O-labeled on the reducing carbonyl group gave rise to Z1 product ions (m/z 163) derived from the reducing sugar, which could be mass-discriminated from other possible structural isomers having m/z 161. MS(3) CID of these m/z 163 ions showed distinct fragmentation fingerprints corresponding to the linkage types and largely unaffected by sugar unit identities or their anomeric configurations. This unique property allowed standard CID spectra of Z1 ions to be generated from a small set of disaccharide samples that were representative of many other possible isomeric structures. With the use of MS(n) CID (n = 3 - 5), model linear oligosaccharides were dissociated into overlapping disaccharide structures, which were subsequently fragmented to form their corresponding Z1 ions. CID data of these Z1 ions were collected and compared with the standard database of Z1 ion CID using spectra similarity scores for linkage determination. As the proof-of-principle tests demonstrated, we achieved correct determination of individual linkage types along with their locations within two trisaccharides and a pentasaccharide.

In-depth characterization of N-linked oligosaccharides using fluoride-mediated negative ion microfluidic chip LC-MS

Characterization of N-glycans by liquid chromatography-positive electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) using a microfluidic chip packed with porous graphitized carbon (PGC) represents a rapidly developing area in oligosaccharide analysis. Positive ion ESI-MS generates B/Y-type glycosidic fragment ions under collisional-induced dissociation (CID). Although these ions facilitate glycan sequencing, they provide little information on linkage and positional isomers. Isomer identification in these cases is by retention on the PGC stationary phase where the specific structural isomers can, in principle, be separated. In this paper, we broaden the applicability of the PGC microfluidic chip/MS platform by implementing fluoride-mediated negative ESI-MS. Ammonium fluoride, added to the mobile phase, aids in the formation of pseudomolecular oligosaccharide anions due to the ability of fluoride to abstract a proton from the glycan structure. The negative charge results in the generation of C-type glycosidic fragments, highly informative A-type cross-ring fragment ions, and additional gas-phase ion reaction products (e.g., D- and E-type ions), which, when combined, lead to in-depth oligosaccharide characterization, including linkage and positional isomers. Due to the separation of anomers by the PGC phase, comparison of oligosaccharides with an intact reducing terminus to their experimentally prepared corresponding alditols was performed, revealing a more sensitive MS and, especially, MS/MS analysis from the glycans with a free reducing end. Fluoride also ensured recovery of charged oligosaccharides from the PGC stationary phase. Application to the characterization of N-glycans released from polyclonal human and murine serum IgG is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the chip/negative ESI approach.

Electron detachment dissociation of underivatized chloride-adducted oligosaccharides

Chloride anion attachment has previously been shown to aid determination of saccharide anomeric configuration and generation of linkage information in negative ion post-source decay MALDI tandem mass spectrometry. Here, we employ electron detachment dissociation (EDD) and collision activated dissociation (CAD) for the structural characterization of underivatized oligosaccharides bearing a chloride ion adduct. Both neutral and sialylated oligosaccharides are examined, including maltoheptaose, an asialo biantennary glycan (NA2), disialylacto-N-tetraose (DSLNT), and two LS tetrasaccharides (LSTa and LSTb). Gas-phase chloride-adducted species are generated by negative ion mode electrospray ionization. EDD and CAD spectra of chloride-adducted oligosaccharides are compared to the corresponding spectra for doubly deprotonated species not containing a chloride anion to assess the role of chloride adduction in the stimulation of alternative fragmentation pathways and altered charge locations allowing detection of additional product ions. In all cases, EDD of singly chloridated and singly deprotonated species resulted in an increase in observed cross-ring cleavages, which are essential to providing saccharide linkage information. Glycosidic cleavages also increased in EDD of chloride-adducted oligosaccharides to reveal complementary structural information compared to traditional (non-chloride-assisted) EDD and CAD. Results indicate that chloride adduction is of interest in alternative anion activation methods such as EDD for oligosaccharide structural characterization.

Novel fragmentation pathways of anionic adducts of steroids formed by electrospray anion attachment involving regioselective attachment, regiospecific decompositions, charge-induced pathways, and ion-dipole complex intermediates

The analysis of several bifunctional neutral steroids, 5-α-pregnane diol (5-α-pregnane-3α-20βdiol), estradiol (3,17α-dihydroxy-1,3,5(10)-estratriene), progesterone (4-pregnene-3,20-dione), lupeol (3β-hydroxy-20(29)-lupene), pregnenolone (5-pregnen-3β-ol-20-one), and pregnenolone acetate (5-pregnen-3β-ol-20-one acetate) was accomplished by negative ion electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) employing adduct formation with various anions: fluoride, bicarbonate, acetate, and chloride. Fluoride yielded higher abundances of anionic adducts and more substantial abundances of deprotonated molecules compared with other investigated anions. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of precursor [M + anion](-) adducts of these steroids revealed that fluoride adduct [M + F](-) precursors first lose HF to produce [M - H](-) and then undergo consecutive decompositions to yield higher abundances of structurally-informative product ions than the other tested anions. In addition to charge-remote fragmentations, the majority of CID pathways of estradiol are deduced to occur via charge-induced fragmentation. Most interestingly, certain anions exhibit preferential attachment to a specific site on these bifunctional steroid molecules, which we are calling "regioselective anion attachment." Regioselective anion attachment is evidenced by subsequent regiospecific decomposition. Regioselective attachment of fluoride (and acetate) anions to low (and moderate) acidity functional groups of pregnenolone, respectively, is demonstrated using deuterated compounds. Moreover, the formation of unique intermediate ion-dipole complexes leading to novel fragmentation pathways of fluoride adducts of pregnenolone acetate, and bicarbonate adducts of d(4)-pregnenolone, are also discussed.

N-(1-naphthyl) ethylenediamine dinitrate: a new matrix for negative ion MALDI-TOF MS analysis of small molecules

An organic salt, N-(1-naphthyl) ethylenediamine dinitrate (NEDN), with rationally designed properties of a strong UV absorbing chromophore, hydrogen binding and nitrate anion donors, has been employed as a matrix to analyze small molecules (m/z < 1000) such as oligosaccharides, peptides, metabolites and explosives using negative ion matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Compared with conventional matrixes such as α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CCA) and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB), NEDN provides a significant improvement in detection sensitivity and yields very few matrix-associated fragment and cluster ions interfering with MS analysis. For low-molecular-weight saccharides, the lowest detection limit achieved ranges from 500 amol to 5 pmol, depending on the molecular weight and the structure of the analytes. Additionally, the mass spectra in the lower mass range (m/z < 200) consist of only nitrate and nitric acid cluster ions, making the matrix particularly useful for structural identification of oligosaccharides by post-source decay (PSD) MALDI-MS. Such a characteristic is illustrated by using maltoheptaose as a model system. This work demonstrates that NEDN is a novel negative ion-mode matrix for MALDI-MS analysis of small molecules with nitrate anion attachment.

A survey of useful salt additives in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry of lipids: introducing nitrates for improved analysis

RATIONALE

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is a powerful technique for the direct analysis of lipids in complex mixtures and thin tissue sections, making it an extremely attractive method for profiling lipids in health and disease. Lipids are readily detected as [M+H](+), [M+Na](+) and [M+K](+) ions in positive ion MALDI mass spectrometry (MS) experiments. This not only decreases sensitivity, but can also lead to overlapping m/z values of the various adducts of different lipids. Additives can be used to promote formation of a particular adduct, improving sensitivity, reducing spectral complexity and enhancing structural characterization in collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments.

METHODS

Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Cs(+) and NH(4)(+) cations were considered as a range of salt types (acetates, chlorides and nitrates) incorporated into DHB matrix solutions at concentrations between 5 and 80 mM. The study was extended to evaluate the effect of these additives on CID experiments of a lipid standard, after optimization of collision energy parameters. Experiments were performed on a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight (QqTOF) instrument.

RESULTS

The systematic evaluation of new and existing additives in MALDI-MS and MS/MS of lipids demonstrated the importance of additive cation and anion choice and concentration for tailoring spectral results.

CONCLUSIONS

The recommended choice of additive depends on the desired outcomes of the experiment to be performed (MS or MS/MS). Nitrates are found to be particularly useful additives for lipid analysis.

Structural identification of novel oligosaccharides produced by Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus plantarum

β-Galactosidases (β-Gal) of lactic acid bacteria produce oligosaccharides from lactose when suitable acceptor carbohydrates are present. This study aimed to elucidate the structure of oligosaccharides formed by galactosylation of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and fucose. Crude cellular extract of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and LacLM of Lactobacillus plantarum were used as sources of β-Gal activity. Disaccharides obtained by galactosylation of GlcNAc were identified as Gal-β-(1→4)-GlcNAc or Gal-β-(1→6)-GlcNAc by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and comparison with external standards. Trisaccharides were identified as Gal-β-(1→6)-Gal-β-(1→[4 or 6])-GlcNAc by LC-MS, analysis of the MS/MS spectra of selected in-source fragment ions, and their relative retention times. LC-MS analysis revealed the presence of five galactosylated fucosides, but their linkage type could not be identified, partly due to the lack of reference compounds. β-Gal of lactic acid bacteria may serve as suitable tools for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of therapeutic oligosaccharides.

Analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: an update for 2007-2008

This review is the fifth update of the original review, published in 1999, on the application of MALDI mass spectrometry to the analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates and brings coverage of the literature to the end of 2008. The first section of the review covers fundamental studies, fragmentation of carbohydrate ions, use of derivatives and new software developments for analysis of carbohydrate spectra. Among newer areas of method development are glycan arrays, MALDI imaging and the use of ion mobility spectrometry. The second section of the review discusses applications of MALDI MS to the analysis of different types of carbohydrate. Specific compound classes that are covered include carbohydrate polymers from plants, N- and O-linked glycans from glycoproteins, biopharmaceuticals, glycated proteins, glycolipids, glycosides and various other natural products. There is a short section on the use of MALDI mass spectrometry for the study of enzymes involved in glycan processing and a section on the use of MALDI MS to monitor products of the chemical synthesis of carbohydrates with emphasis on carbohydrate-protein complexes and glycodendrimers. Corresponding analyses by electrospray ionization now appear to outnumber those performed by MALDI and the amount of literature makes a comprehensive review on this technique impractical. However, most of the work relating to sample preparation and glycan synthesis is equally relevant to electrospray and, consequently, those proposing analyses by electrospray should also find material in this review of interest.

Differentiation of the stereochemistry and anomeric configuration for 1-3 linked disaccharides via tandem mass spectrometry and 18O-labeling

Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of deprotonated hexose-containing disaccharides (m/z 341) with 1-2, 1-4, and 1-6 linkages yields product ions at m/z 221, which have been identified as glycosyl-glycolaldehyde anions. From disaccharides with these linkages, CID of m/z 221 ions produces distinct fragmentation patterns that enable the stereochemistries and anomeric configurations of the non-reducing sugar units to be determined. However, only trace quantities of m/z 221 ions can be generated for 1-3 linkages in Paul or linear ion traps, preventing further CID analysis. Here we demonstrate that high intensities of m/z 221 ions can be built up in the linear ion trap (Q3) from beam-type CID of a series of 1-3 linked disaccharides conducted on a triple quadrupole/linear ion trap mass spectrometer. (18)O-labeling at the carbonyl position of the reducing sugar allowed mass-discrimination of the "sidedness" of dissociation events to either side of the glycosidic linkage. Under relatively low energy beam-type CID and ion trap CID, an m/z 223 product ion containing (18)O predominated. It was a structural isomer that fragmented quite differently than the glycosyl-glycolaldehydes and did not provide structural information about the non-reducing sugar. Under higher collision energy beam-type CID conditions, the formation of m/z 221 ions, which have the glycosyl-glycolaldehyde structures, were favored. Characteristic fragmentation patterns were observed for each m/z 221 ion from higher energy beam-type CID of 1-3 linked disaccharides and the stereochemistry of the non-reducing sugar, together with the anomeric configuration, were successfully identified both with and without (18)O-labeling of the reducing sugar carbonyl group.

A new model for multiply charged adduct formation between peptides and anions in electrospray mass spectrometry

A new model has been developed to account for adduct formation on multiply charged peptides observed in negative ion electrospray mass spectrometry. To obtain a stable adduct, the model necessitates an approximate matching of apparent gas-phase basicity (GB(app)) of a given proton bearing site on the peptide with the gas-phase basicity (GB) of the anion attaching at that site. Evidence supporting the model is derived from the fact that for [Glu] Fibrinopeptide B, higher GB anions dominated in adducts observed at higher negative charge states, whereas lower GB anions appeared predominately in lower charge state adducts. Singly charged adducts were only observed for lower GB anions: HSO(4)(-), I(-), CF(3)COO(-). Ions that have medium GBs (NO(3) (-), Br(-), H(2)PO(4)(-)) only form adducts having -2 charge states, whereas Cl(-) (higher GB) can form adducts having -3 charge states. The model portends that (1) carboxylate groups are much more basic than available amino groups; (2) apparent GBs of the various carboxylate groups on peptides do not vary substantially from one another; and (3) apparent GBs of the individual carboxylate and amino sites do not behave independently. This model was developed for negative ion attachment but an analogous mechanism is also proposed for the positive ion mode wherein (1) binding of a neutral at an amino site polarizes this amino group, but hardly affects apparent GBs of other sites; (2) proton addition (charge state augmentation) at one site can decrease the instrinsic GBs of other potential protonation sites and lower their apparent GBs.