Luffa acutangula agglutinin: Primary structure determination and identification of a tryptophan residue involved in its carbohydrate-binding activity using mass spectrometry

A lectin from phloem exudates of Luffa acutangula (ridge gourd) was purified on chitin affinity chromatography and characterized for its amino acid sequence and to study the role of tryptophan in its activity. The purified lectin was subjected to various proteolytic digestions, and the resulting peptides were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometer. The peptide precursor ions were fragmented by collision-induced dissociation or electron transfer dissociation experiments, and a manual interpretation of MS/MS was performed to deduce amino acid sequence. This gave rise to almost complete sequence coverage of the lectin which showed high-sequence similarity with deduced sequences of phloem lectins present in the database. Chemical modification of lysine, tyrosine, histidine, arginine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid residues did not inhibit the hemagglutinating activity. However, the modification of tryptophan residues using N-bromosuccinimide showed the loss of hemagglutinating activity. Additionally, the mapping of tryptophan residues was performed to determine the extent and number of residues modified, which revealed that six residues per molecule were oxidized suggesting their accessibility. The retention of the lectin activity was seen when the modifications were performed in the presence of chitooligosaccharides due to protection of a tryptophan residue (W-102) in the protein. These studies taken together have led to the identification of a particular tryptophan residue (W-102) in the activity of the lectin. (c) 2015 IUBMB Life, 67(12):943-953, 2015

有机质谱裂解规律及智能解析方法研究

本学位论文分为四个部分，第一部分报道了用串联质谱快速分析合成药物中的微量杂质成分以及分析中药材中的化学成分。第二部分报道了通过质谱和串联质谱发现并合成新型的PdPincer 催化剂，同时对其活性进行测试。第三部分为串联质谱自动解析软件的设计及应用。第四部分概述了应用在质谱中的各种碎裂方式。 第一部分首先总结了5-溴粉防己碱及其类似物的裂解规律，并以此为根据推测出2 个微量杂质的结构。随后针对无患子（Sapindus mukurossi Gatren.）中的皂苷成分，由ESI-QTOF 得到各个皂苷成份的高分辨质量数据进而得到其分子式，然后利用ESI-IT 电喷雾串联质谱对无患子总皂苷中各皂苷成分的结构进行进一步的鉴定。进而以同样的方式，先通过ESI-QTOF 得到黄山药（Dioscoreapanthaica）总皂苷中各个组分化合物的分子式，然后对已有的薯蓣皂苷标准品做串联质谱分析，以得到该类化合物的裂解规律并给出解析该类化合物的流程图。在此利用计算化学的方法讨论了离子的丰度与裂解活化能之间的关系。然后应用APCI-MS/MS 方法探讨了四对同分异构体和几个已知的化合物，并最后用液质联用对其进行确认，同时还给出了4 个未知化合物的可能结构。 第二部分报道通过质谱和串联质谱发现并合成新型的PdPincer 催化剂，同时对其活性进行测试。钯催化的交联反应是有机合成中C-C 键形成的最有效的方法，且硫脲是一类对空气和水都稳定的化合物，因此我们设计并合成了一系列的硫脲钯催化剂并得到了很好的催化活性。我们在对其中一类环状双硫脲化合物进行质谱实验的时候，在正离子模式下发现了反常的[M.H]+，通过串联质谱进一步确定了它是一种新型的PdPincer 结构。我们将其合成出来并通过X-ray 衍射实验确定了它的结构。同时测定其催化活性并与未形成pincer 的类似物进行比较发现该类化合物具有较宽的底物适用性。 第三部分为串联质谱自动解析软件的设计及应用。通过前面两部分的启示，独立设计开发了AuMass（1.0）。其算法是：先通过查找特殊的碎片离子，中性丢失或碎片离子质量差来确定某类化合物的骨架结构，然后利用该类化合物的自动解析流程来对其周边取代基进行确认。通过它快速地对白芍中的化学成分进行解析，并对未知的化合物进行了推测。为了增加它的解析能力，我又对其它类型的化合物裂解规律进行总结，并给出了自动解析流程。实践证明该软件具有相当好的应用价值。 第四部分综述了应用在质谱上的各类母离子的碎裂技术。这里包括了碰撞诱导裂解（CID）、光诱导碎裂（LID）、电子捕获裂解/电子转移裂解（ECD/ETD）、红外多光子解离（IRMPD）、黑体辐射解离（BIRD）和PQD 裂解技术。 This dissertation consists of four chapters. The first chapter reports the rapidanalysis of trace impurities from synthetical medicine and analysis of the chemicalconstitutents from Chinese herb medicines. The second chapter elaborates the studieson the discorvery and synthesis of new type of Pd Pincer catalyst by using MS andtandem MS together with the testing of its catalyst activity. The third chapter dwellson the designation and development of automatic tandem mass spectrometry analysissoftware. The last chapter presents a review on the dissociation technique of massspectrometry. The first chapter reports the rapid analysis of trace impurities from synthesismedicine and analysis of the chemical constitutents from Chinese herb medicines. The fission mechanism of 5-bromotetrandrine was obtained by analysis of the dissociationpathways of major product, by using which the possible structure of the two traceimpurties was assumed. There are lots of saponins in Sapindus mukurossi. Except forthe good spumescence and decontamination，it possesses the bioactivity of antigenand antitch. First of all, the high resolution mass information was obtained by ESI-QTOF. Hence the possible molecular formulars were acquired too. Then weconducted the further detection of the structures of its saponins by using ESI-ITtechnology. In the same manner, first the molecular formulars of every constituentfrom Dioscorea panthaica in total saponins were obtained by ESI-QTOF, and thenacquired the fission mechanism of this type of compounds by tandem massexperiment on a series of known and available saponins. In the same time, theanalysis flowchart was concluded. Here the relationship between the ion intensity andthe corresponding dissiociation activation energy was studied by computer chemistry.Then the four pairs of isomers were differentiated by APCI-MS/MS, as well as thecharacterization of known and unknown compounds. The assumption was confirmed by HPLC-MS/MS. Among them the possible structures of four unknown saponinswas presented. The second part was discovery and synthesis of a new type of Pd pincer catalystby MS and tandem MS. The coupling reaction catalyzed by Pd is the most effectivemethod in C-C formation in organic synthesis. Apart from that, thiourea is type ofcompounds that are stable to atmosphere and moisture. Hence we designed a series ofPd thiourea catalysts. Some of them show the excellent catalyst activity. The abnormalparent ion [M.H]+ was founded in positive ESI mode when we conduct some massspectrometry experiments on the bicyclical thiourea Pd complex. The structure wasproposed by mass and tandem mass spectrometry. Because it was a new type of pincer,we want to test its catalyst activity. So the Pd pincer was synthesized and the detailstructure was obtained by x-ray experiment. It shows the more fitness in catalysis ofSuzuki reaction by comparison with the analogue. The third chapter dwells on the design and development of automatic tandemmass spectrometry analysis software. Inspired by the former two chapters, theAuMass (version 1.0) was developed. Its algorithm is: first check the diagnostic ion,diagnostic neutral loss or diagnostic ions mass intervals in database to find out whatthe analyst’s skeleton belongs to, then identify the peripheral functional group by thecorresponding analysis flowchart. The chemical constituents of Paeonia lactiflorawere identified rapidly by using AuMass. To increase the analysis ability, the othertypes of compounds from Chinese herbs was concluded. Actually, the software isproven to have the much valuable application. The last chapter presented the review on the some kinds of fission technique ofmass spectrometry. It involves the collision induced dissociation (CID), laser induceddissociation (LID), electron capture dissociation/electron transfer dissociation(ECD/ETD), infrared multiple photons dissiociation, black body irraditiondissociation and PQD fission technique from Finnigan.

Direct characterization of bitter acids in a crude hop extract by liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

The applicability of on-line coupling of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography to atmospheric pressure ionization tandem mass spectrometry for the separation and characterization of hop acids mixture from the crude extract of Humulus lupulus was investigated. The solvent system consisting of acetonitrile-aqueous formic acid was used to give proper separation of the six main hop bitter acids within 30 min. Further structural information about the components was acquired by collision-induced dissociation (CID). On the basis of analyses of the fragmentation patterns of the major alpha- and beta-bitter acids respectively, identification of the minor ones was performed using selected reaction monitoring (SRM) with a group of qualitatively relevant selected precursor-product ion transitions for each bitter acid in a single high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) run. Using this technique, six minor hop acids, including "adprelupulone" observed for the first time in natural resources, were detected along with the six major acids. This hyphenated techniques provides potency for rapid qualitative determination of analogs and homologs in mixtures. (C) 2004 American Society for Mass Spectrometry.

Screening and Structural Characterization of alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Hawthorn Leaf Flavonoids Extract by Ultrafiltration LC-DAD-MSn and SORI-CID FTICR MS

In vitro a-glucosidase inhibition assays and ultrafiltration liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ultrafiltration LC-DAD-ESI-MSn) were combined to screen a-glucosidase inhibitors from hawthorn leaf flavonoids extract (HLFE). As a result, four compounds were identified as alpha-glucosidase inhibitors in the HLFE, and their structures were confirmed to be quercetin-3-O-rha-(1-4)-glc-rha and C-glycosylflavones (vitexin-2 ''-O-glucoside, vitexin-2 ''-O-rhamnoside and vitexin) by high-resolution sustained off resonance irradiation collision-induced dissociation (SORI-CID) data obtained by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR MS).

Identification of Phenylethanoid Glycosides in Plant Extract of Plantago asiatica L. by Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The present work describes a liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) method for rapid identification of phenylethanoid glycosides in plant extract from Plantago asiatica L. By using a binary mobile phase system consisting of 0.2% acetic acid and acetonitrile under gradient conditions, a good separation was achieved on a reversed-phase C-18 column. The [M-H](-) ions, the molecular weights, and the fragment ions of phenylethanoid glycosides were obtained in the negative ion mode using LC-ESI-MS. The identification of the phenylethanoid glycosides (peaks 1-3) in the extract of P. asiatica L. was based on matching their retention time, the detection of molecular ions, and the fragment ions obtained by collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments with those of the authentic standards and data reported in the literature.

Analysis on Iridoid Glycosides in Crude and Processed Extracts from Cornus Officinals by Liquid Chromatography-electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The iridoid glycosides in crude and processed extracts from cornus officinals have been analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Samples were analyzed by a reversed-phase C18 column using a binary eluent under gradient conditions. Seven iridoid glycosides could be separated and detected. The [M-H](-) ions of iridoid glycosides in the negative ion mode were observed, which reflect their molecule mass information. An in-source collision induced dissociation (in-source CID) experiment was carried out in order to identify the structures and to measure the contents of iridoid glycosides. The epimers were discovered in the experiment for the first time, namely 7 alpha-O-ethyl-morroniside and 7 beta-O-ethylmorroniside.

Analysis of Saponins from Leaves of Aralia elata by Liquid Chromatography and Multi-stage Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Four saponins were isolated from the leaves of Aralia elata, and established using NMR and other spectroscopic methods, as well as data reported in the literature. Three Aralia saponins from the leaves of Aralia elata sharing the same structures as those isolated from the root bark suggested that the leaves would be a good substitute for the root bark of Aralia elata. These four Aralia saponins were then extensively investigated using complementarily positive and negative electrospray ionization multistage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn). Two isomers of saponins with different sugar linkages were then successfully differentiated by positive ESI-MSn and verified with different retention times and the collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra by LC-MS. A simple and effective LC-MS method was thus developed for the rapid identification and screening of these saponins in plant extracts from leaves of Aralia elata.

A study of the non-covalent interaction between flavonoids and DNA triplexes by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The binding interactions of 22 flavonoids (9 aglycones and 13 glycosides) with DNA triplexes were investigated using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The results revealed that the hydroxyl positions of aglycones. the locations and numbers of saccharide, as well as the aglycone skeletons play roles in the triplex-binding properties of flavonoids. The presence of 3-OH, or 3'-OH, or replacement of 4'-OH with methoxy group in aglycones decreased the fraction of bound DNA sharply. Flavonoid glycosides exhibit higher binding affinities towards the DNA triplexes than their aglycone counterparts. Glycosylations of flavones at the 8-C position and isoflavones at the 7-O position show higher binding affinities than those on the other positions of ring A of aglycones. Glycosylation with a disaccharide on 0 position of flavonol results in higher binding affinity than that with monosaccharide. Flexibility of the ring B is favorable for its interaction with DNA triplex. According to sustained off-resonance irradiation collision-induced dissociation (SORI-CID) experiments, glycosylation and non-planarity of flavonoid aglycones lead to different dissociation pathways of the flavonoid/triplex complexes.

Structural analysis of monoterpene glycosides extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall. using electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Paeoniflorin standard was first investigated by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICR-MS/MS) using a sustained off-resonance irradiation (SORI) collision-induced dissociation (CID) method at high mass resolution. The experimental results demonstrated that the unambiguous elemental composition of product ions can be obtained at high mass resolution. Comparing MS/MS spectra and the experimental methods of hydrogen and deuterium exchange, the logical fragmentation pathways of paeoniflorin have been proposed. Then, the extracts of the traditional Chinese medicine Paeonia lactiflora Pall. were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MS/MS). By comparison with the ESI-FTICR-MS/MS data of paeoniflorin, the isomers paeoniflorin and albiflorin in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. have been identified using HPLC/MS with CID in an ion trap and in-source CID. Furthermore, using the characteristic fragmentation pathways, the retention times (t(R)) in HPLC and MS/MS spectra, the structures of three other kinds of monoterpene glycoside compounds have been identified on-line without time-consuming isolation.

Characterization of the rutin-metal complex by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

According to the strong application background of bioflavonoid and metal-flavonoid complexes, novel electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn) was applied to investigate the structure and fragmentation mechanism of transition metal-rutin complexes. In the full-scan mass spectra, different stoichiometric ratios of rutin-metal complexes were found. In the reaction between rutin and Cu, four kinds of complexes with four different stoichiometric ratios were produced. In the reaction between rutin and Zn, Mn(II), and Fe(II), only two kind of complexes with stoichiometric ratios of 1:1 and 1:2 occured. In further tandem mass spectrometric experiments of different rutin-metal complexes, product fragments, came from the neutral loss of the external rhamnose and the internal glucose unit, oligosaccharide chain, aglycone, and small organic molecules. According to the MSn data, we proposed a mechanism for all fragments of the rutin-Cu complex A and the structure of two rutin-Cu complexes, C and D.

Characterization of non-covalent complexes of rutin with cyclodextrins by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn) and the phase solubility method were used to characterize the gas-phase and solution-phase non-covalent complexes between rutin (R) and alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins (CDs). The direct correlation between mass spectrometric results and solution-phase behavior is thus revealed. The order of the 1:1 association constants (K-c) of the complexes between R and the three CDs in solution calculated from solubility diagrams is in good agreement with the order of their relative peak intensities and relative collision-induced dissociation (CID) energies of the complexes under the same ESI-MSn condition in both the positive and negative ion modes. Not only the binding stoichiometry but also the relative stabilities and even binding sites of the CD-R complexes can be elucidated by ESI-MSn. The diagnostic fragmentation of CD-R complexes, with a significant contribution of covalent fragmentation of rutin leaving the quercetin (Q) moiety attached to the CDs, provides convincing evidence for the formation of inclusion complexes between R and CDs. The diagnostic fragment ions can be partly confirmed by the complexes between Q and CDs. The gas-phase stability order of the deprotonated CD-R complexes is beta-CD-R > alpha-CD-R > gamma-CD/R; beta-CD seems to bind R more strongly than the other CDs.

Characterization of aconitine-type alkaloids in the flowers of Aconitum kusnezoffii by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

The fragmentation mechanism of aconitine-type alkaloids in the flowers of Aconitum kusnezoffii (FAK) was investigated using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn) firstly. The analysis of the collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra of three purified aconitine standards and six previously reported aconitines indicated that the fragmentation of the protonated aconitines at low-energy CID follows a similar pathway. The elimination of a C-8-substituent such as an acetic acid or a fatty acid is the dominant fragmentation mode in MS2. Successive losses of CH3COOH, CH3OH, H2O, BzOH, and CO are the main fragmentation pathways of aconitine-type alkaloids in MS3 spectra. Based on these features, a rapid method for the direct detection and characterization of alkaloids from an ethanolic extract of FAK is described. All the known aconitum alkaloids are detected and a series of lipo-aconitines has been found for the first time in this plant.

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric study of the aconitines in the roots of aconite

Fragmentation pathways of aconitine-type alkaloids were investigated by electrospray ionization/ion trap multistage tandem mass spectrometry. Low-energy collision-induced dissociation of protonated aconitines follows a dominant first step, the elimination of the C-8-substituent as acetic acid or fatty acid in MS2 spectra. Successive losses of 1-4 CH3OH molecules, 1-3 H2O, CO, benzoic acid, and CH3 or C2H5 (N-substituents) are all fragmentation pathways observed in MS3 and MS4 spectra. By applying knowledge of these fragmentation pathways to the aconitines in the ethanolic extract of aconite roots, all the known aconitines were detected and also 23 unknown aconitine-type alkaloids, in which the lipo-alkaloids containing residues of 15C, 17C and 19C saturated or unsaturated fatty acids were characterized. These odd-carbon-number fatty acid substituents have not been reported previously.

Studies on the adduct reaction of disubstituted benzenes with ion system of acetone in gas phase

Ion - molecule reactions of disubstituted benzene with ion system of acetone and deuterium - labelled acetone under chemical ionization conditions were examined and the fragmentation reactions of the adduct ions formed by the ion - molecule reactions were studied using collision - induced dissociation (CID) technique. It was found that the electron - releasing groups favored the adduct reactions, whereas the electron - withdrawing groups did not. The position and properties of substituted groups affected the relative abundance of the adduct ions. The fragmentation reaction of the adduct ion formed by ortho - phenylenediamine with acetyl ion was similar to the reductive alkylation reaction of amine in condensed phase.

Hydrogen-deuterium exchange reactions of cis- and trans-cyclopropane derivatives with D2O and CD3OD in the gas phase

Gas-phase hydrogen-deuterium (H/D) exchange reactions involving four isomeric cyclopropane derivatives were investigated under chemical ionization (CI) conditions, using D2O and CD3OD as reagent gases. There are abundant ions at [M + 1](+), [M + 2](+) and [M + 3](+) in the D2O and CD3OD positive-ion CI mass spectra of the two isomer pairs 1, 2 and 3, 4, Their CI mass spectra are identical with each pair, and so are the collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra of ions [M + 1](+), [M + 2](+) and [M + 3](+) of each of the two isomer pairs. The CID spectra of [M + 1](+) ions indicate that they have common D/H exchange reactions within each pair, which take place between molecular ions and deuterium-labeling reagents to form the [M - H + D](+) ions. Those of their [M + 2](+) ions show that they have common D/H exchange reactions within each pair, which form the [M-d1 + H](+) ions. Those of their [M + 3](+) ions show that they have common D/H exchange reactions within each pair, which take place between the [M-d1] and deuterium-labeling reagents to produce [Md-2 + H](+) for the isomer pair 1, 2 and [M-d1 + D](+) for the Isomer pair 3, 4. The number and position, and active order of the active hydrogen atoms of the isomer pairs 1, 2 and 3, 4 were determined. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.