Imidazolium-based iodoacetamide functional tags: design, synthesis, and property study for cysteinyl-peptide analysis by mass spectrometry

Imidazolium-based mass tags for protein biomarker detection using laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry

Novel imidazolium-based mass tags (IMTs) were designed, synthesized and applied to simultaneous in situ analysis of multiple biomarkers on less than 10 cells. The high sensitivity, flexible extensibility and excellent distinguishability of IMTs open new avenues for designing common mass tag templates suitable for mass spectrometric immunoassay and provide an ideal option for multiplex-sensitive detection at the cellular scale.

Unveiling the impact of imidazole derivative with mechanistic insights into neutralize interfacial polymerized membranes for improved solute-solute selectivity

Domestic wastewater (DWW) contains a reservoir of nutrients, such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus; however, emerging micropollutants (EMPs) hinder its applications in resource recovery. In this study, a novel class of nanofiltration (NF) membranes was developed; it enabled the efficient removal of harmful EMP constituents while preserving valuable nutrients in the permeate. Neutral (IM-N) and positively charged (IM-P) imidazole derivative compounds have been used to chemically functionalize pristine polyamide (PA) membranes to synchronously inhibit the hydrolysis of residual acyl chloride and promote their amination. Owing to their distinct properties, these IM modifiers can custom-build the membrane physicochemical properties and structures to benefit the NF process in DWW treatment. The electroneutral NF membrane exhibited ultrahigh solute-solute selectivity by minimizing the Donnan effects on ion penetration (K, N, and P ions rejection < 25%) while imposing remarkable size-sieving obstruction against EMPs (rejection ratio > 91%). Moreover, the hydrophilic IM-modifier synergistically led to enhanced water permeance of 9.2 L m^-2 h^-1 bar^-1, reaching a 2-fold higher magnitude than that of the pristine PA membrane, along with excellent antifouling/antibacterial fouling properties. This study may provide a paradigm shift in membrane technology to convert wastewater streams into valuable water and nutrient resources.

Options of the Main Derivatization Approaches for Analytical ESI and MALDI Mass Spectrometry

The inclusion of preliminary chemical labeling (derivatization) in the analysis process by such powerful and widespread methods as electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) is a popular and widely used methodological approach. This is due to the need to remove some fundamental limitations inherent in these powerful analytic methods. Although a number of special reviews has been published discussing the utilization of derivatization approaches, the purpose of the present critical review is to comprehensively summarize, characterize and evaluate most of the previously developed and practically applied, as well as recently proposed representative derivatization reagents for ESI-MS and MALDI-MS platforms in their mostly sensitive positive ion mode and frequently hyphenated with separation techniques. The review is focused on the use of preliminary chemical labeling to facilitate the detection, identification, structure elucidation, quantification, profiling or MS imaging of compounds within complex matrices. Two main derivatization approaches, namely the introduction of permanent charge-fixed or highly proton affinitive residues into analytes are critically evaluated. In situ charge-generation, charge-switch and charge-transfer derivatizations are considered separately. The potential of using reactive matrices in MALDI-MS and chemical labeling in MS-based omics sciences is given.

Cationic Ionic Liquids Organic Ligands Based Metal-Organic Frameworks for Fabrication of Core-Shell Microspheres for Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography

In this study, new metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) nanocrystals modified SiO2 core-shell microspheres were designed with cationic ionic liquids (ILs) 1,3-bis(4-carboxybutyl)imidazolium bromide (ILI) as organic ligands. By further adjustment the growth cycles, the new ILI-01@SiO2 core-shell stationary phase was facilely fabricated. The developed stationary phase was respectively characterized via element analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Because the introduction of cationic imidazolium-based ILs ILI for fabrication of the MOFs nanocrystals shell, the new stationary phase exhibits the retention mechanism of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). Many polar samples, such as amides, vitamins, nucleic acid bases, and nucleosides, were utilized to investigate the performance of the prepared ILI-01@SiO2 column. Compared to the conventional aminosilica column, the new ILI-01@SiO2 column displays high separation selectivity in a shorter separation time. Furthermore, the new ILI-01@SiO2 column was also used for detection of illegal melamine addition in the baby formula. All the above results demonstrate the new ILI-01@SiO2 core-shell stationary phase is of good potentials for high-selectivity separation the polar samples.

Identification of DNA lesions using a third base pair for amplification and nanopore sequencing

Damage to the genome is implicated in the progression of cancer and stress-induced diseases. DNA lesions exist in low levels, and cannot be amplified by standard PCR because they are frequently strong blocks to polymerases. Here, we describe a method for PCR amplification of lesion-containing DNA in which the site and identity could be marked, copied and sequenced. Critical for this method is installation of either the dNaM or d5SICS nucleotides at the lesion site after processing via the base excision repair process. These marker nucleotides constitute an unnatural base pair, allowing large quantities of marked DNA to be made by PCR amplification. Sanger sequencing confirms the potential for this method to locate lesions by marking, amplifying and sequencing a lesion in the KRAS gene. Detection using the α-hemolysin nanopore is also developed to analyse the markers in individual DNA strands with the potential to identify multiple lesions per strand.

Genomic DNA lesions exist in low levels and cannot be amplified by standard PCR. Here, Riedl et al. report a method to amplify damaged DNA sites by replacing them via DNA repair with unnatural base pairs, which are subsequently identified by Sanger sequencing or α-hemolysin nanopore sequencing.

Imidazolium embedded C8 based stationary phase for simultaneous reversed-phase/hydrophilic interaction mixed-mode chromatography

A new imidazolium embedded C8 based stationary phase (SIL-MPS-VOL) was facilely prepared by two steps and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and thermogravimetric analysis. Due to the introduction of quaternary imidazolium group to the traditional C8 stationary phase, the developed SIL-MPS-VOL column demonstrated both reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) retention mechanisms. A series of hydrophobic and hydrophilic test samples, including benzene homologues, anilines, positional isomers, nucleosides and nucleotides, were used to evaluate the developed SIL-MPS-VOL stationary phase. A rapid separation time, high separation efficiency and planar selectivity were achieved, compared with the commercially available C8 column. Moreover, the developed stationary phase was further used to detect and separate of melamine in powdered infant formula and high polar component of secondary metabolites of Trichoderma, and improved separation efficiency was achieved, indicating the potential merits of the developed SIL-MPS-VOL stationary phase for simultaneous separation of complex hydrophobic and hydrophilic samples with high selectivity.

Novel pyridinium-based tags: synthesis and characterization for highly efficient analysis of thiol-containing peptides by mass spectrometry

In this study, a novel type of pyridinium-based tags, 1-[3-[(2-iodo-1-oxoethyl)amino]propyl]-4-methylpyridinium bromide (IMP) and 1-[3-[(2-iodo-1-oxoethyl)amino]propyl]-4-propylpyridinium bromide (IPP), were designed, synthesized, and applied to the derivatization of thiol-containing peptides. With model peptides as the sample, the labeling efficiency and the stability of the peptide derivatives were investigated. The results indicate that nearly 100% derivatization yield was achieved with the developed tags and the peptide derivatives were stable at room temperature for at least one week. Furthermore, improved ionization efficiency and increased charge states were achieved via both matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS) and electrospray ionization (ESI) MS, of which IPP exhibited the more obvious improvement of ionization efficiency. Further analysis of tryptic digests of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and α-transferrin, showed that increased identification efficiency of the thiol-containing peptides was achieved by combination with IMP or IPP derivatization. For example, the identification efficiency of the thiol-containing peptides of α-transferrin increased more than 42% upon combination with the IMP or IPP derivatives. We anticipate the novel tags are promising for highly efficient thiol-containing peptide identification in proteome research, especially for low concentrations.

Facile one-pot preparation of an imidazolium embedded C8 hybrid monolith using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane for capillary liquid chromatography

In this study, a novel imidazolium embedded C₈ hybrid monolithic column based on polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) was developed.