• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.177-183
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• 2022

The monomer and dimer structures of the amyloid fragment Aβ(1-16) sequence formed in H₂O were investigated using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem MS (MS/MS). Aβ16 monomers and dimers were indicated by signals representing multiple proton adduct forms, [monomer+zH]ⁿ⁺ (=M^z+, z = charge state) and [dimer+zH]^z+ (=D^z+), in the MS spectrum. Fragment ions of monomers and dimers were observed using collision-induced dissociation MS/MS. Peptide bond dissociation was mostly observed in the D1-D7 and V11-K16 regions of the MS/MS spectra for the monomer (or dimer), regardless of the monomer (or dimer) charge state. Both covalent and non-covalent bond dissociation processes were indicated by the MS/MS results for the dimers. During the non-covalent bond dissociation process, the D³⁺ dimer complex was separated into two components: the M¹⁺ and M²⁺ subunits. During the covalent bond dissociation of the D³⁺ dimer complex, the b and y fragment ions attached to the monomer, (M+b_10-15)^z+ and (M+y_9-15)^z+, were thought to originate from the dissociation of the M²⁺ monomer component of the (M¹⁺+M²⁺) complex. Two different D³⁺ complex geometries exist; two distinguished interaction geometries resulting from interactions between the M¹⁺ monomer and two different regions of M²⁺ (the N-terminus and C-terminus) are proposed. Intricate fragmentation patterns were observed in the MS/MS spectrum of the D⁵⁺ complex. The complicated nature of the MS/MS spectrum is attributable to the coexistence of two D⁵⁺ configurations, (M¹⁺+M⁴⁺) and (M²⁺M³⁺), in the Aβ16 solution.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.29-38
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• 2012

A new approach of volatile compounds analysis is proposed using a linear ion trap Orbitrap mass spectrometer coupled with gas chromatography through an atmospheric pressure photoionization interface. In the proposed GC-HRMS/MS approach, direct chemical composition analysis is made for the precursor ions in high resolution MS spectra and the structural identifications were made through the database search of high quality MS/MS spectra. Successful analysis of a complex perfume sample was demonstrated and compared with GC-EI-Q and GC-EI-TOF. The current approach is complementary to conventional GC-EI-MS analysis and can identify low abundance co-eluting compounds. Toluene co-sprayed as a dopant through API probe significantly enhanced ionization of certain compounds and reduced oxidation during the ionization.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.194-204
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• 2017

Direct injection (DI) and solid phase extraction (SPE) methods for the simultaneous determination of pendimethalin (PDM) and dinoseb (DNS) in environmental water have been optimized using the ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. The limits of quantification (LOQs) of PDM and DNS were $0.01{\mu}g/L$ using the DI method and $0.0001-0.0002{\mu}g/L$ using the SPE method. The precision by SPE UPLC-MS/MS was less than 11 % for intra-day and inter-day analyses. When the proposed SPE method was used to analyze two analytes in environmental water, PDM was detected in a concentration range of $0.0002-0.011{\mu}g/L$ in 31 samples of the 114 surface water samples, and DNS was detected in a concentration range of $0.0005-0.045{\mu}g/L$ in 17 samples of the 114 surface water samples analyzed. When the DI method was used to analyze target compounds in the same samples, the detected concentrations of the two analytes were within 21% in samples with concentrations above $0.01{\mu}g/L$. The DI UPLC-MS/MS method can thus be used for the routine monitoring of PDM and DNS in environmental water, and the SPE LC-MS/MS method can be used for the determination of the ultra-trace PDM and DNS residues in environmental water.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.384-391
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• 2001

In this study, a new quantitative analytical method has been developed for the rapid determination of acylcarnitines and amino acids in human blood using electrospray ionization / tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Acylarmitines and amino acids were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry after conversion to their butylesters through treatment with 3N butanolic hydrogen chloride. Acylcrnitines were analyzed using precursor 85 ion scan and alanine, valine, leucine/isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid were analyzed using neutral loss 102 scan, ornitine and citrulline were analyzed neutral loss 119 scan, glycine was analyzed using neutral loss 56 scan, arginine was analyzed using neutral loss 161 scan and argininosuccinic acid was analyzed product ion 459 scan. This method reduced sample preparation time compared to that with conventional amino acid analyzer and liquid chromatography, with high sensitivity and good reproducibility.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.59-64
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• 2015

Purpose: Lactate has two optical isomers, L-lactate and D-lactate. In human L-lactate is the most abundant enantiomer of lactate. As plasma and urinary levels of L-lactate is associated with inherited metabolic disorders in general, D-lactate have been linked to the presence of diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. Previously developed techniques have shown several limitations to further evaluate D-lactate as a biomarker for this condition. In this paper, we describe a highly sensitive, specific and fast liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the analysis of D-, L-lactate in urine. Methods: D- and L-lactate were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with labelled internal standard. Samples were derivatized with (+)-O,O'-diacety-L-tartaric anhydride (DATAN) and seperated on a Poroshell 120 EC-C18 column. Results: Quantitative analysis of D-, and L-lactate was achieved successfully. Calibration curves were linear (r>0.999) over $0.5-100{\mu}g/mL$. Stabilities for samples were within the 10% varation. Inter- and Intra-day assay variations were below 10%. Conclusion: The presented method proved to be suitable for the quantitation of D- and L-lactate and opens the possibility to explore the use of D-lactate as a biomarker.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.95-105
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• 2022

Amatoxin-induced mushroom poisoning starts with nonspecific symptoms of toxicity but hepatic damage may follow, resulting in the rapid development of liver insufficiency and, ultimately, coma and death. Accurate detection of amatoxins, such as α-, β-, and γ-amanitin, within the first few hours after presentation is necessary to improve the therapeutic outcomes of patients. Therefore, analytical methods for the identification and quantification of α-, β-, and γ-amanitin in biological samples are necessary for clinical and forensic toxicology. This study presents a literature review of the analytical techniques available for amatoxin detection in biological matrices, and established an inventory of liquid chromatography (LC) techniques with mass spectrometry (MS), ultraviolet (UV) detection, and electrochemical detection (ECD). LC-MS methods using quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and orbitrap MS are powerful analytical techniques for the identification and determination of amatoxins in plasma, urine, serum, and tissue samples, with high sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility compared to LC with UV and ECD, enzyme-linked immunoassay, and capillary electrophoresis methods.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.153-159
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• 2023

The copper ion, Cu(II), binding sites for amyloid fragment Aβ1-16 (=Aβ16 ) were investigated to explain the biological activity difference in the Aβ16 aggregation process. The [M+Cu+(z-2)H]^z+ (z = 2, 3 and 4, M = Aβ16 monomer) and [D+Cu+(z-2)H]^z+ (z = 3 and 5, D = Aβ16 dimer) structures were investigated using electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Fragment ions of the [M+Cu+(z-2)H]^z+ and [D+Cu+(z-2)H]^z+ complexes were observed using collision-induced dissociation MS/MS. Three different fragmentation patterns (fragment "a", "b", and "y" ion series) were observed in the MS/MS spectrum of the (Aβ16 monomer or dimer-Cu) complex, with the "b" and "y" ion series regularly observed. The "a" ion series was not observed in the MS/MS spectrum of the [M+Cu+2H]⁴⁺ complex. In the non-covalent bond dissociation process, the [D+Cu+3H]⁵⁺ complex separated into three components ([M+Cu+H]³⁺, M³⁺, and M²⁺), and the [M+Cu]²⁺ subunit was not observed. The {M + fragment ion of [M+Cu+H]³⁺} fragmentation pattern was observed during the covalent bond dissociation of the [D+Cu +3H]⁵⁺ complex. The {M + [M+Cu+H]³⁺} complex geometry was assumed to be stable in the [D+Cu+3H]⁵⁺ complex. The {M + fragment ion of [M+Cu]²⁺} fragmentation pattern was also observed in the MS/MS spectrum of the [D+Cu+H]³⁺ complex. The {M + [y₉+Cu]¹⁺} fragment ion was the characteristic fragment ion. The [D+Cu+H]³⁺ and [D+Cu+3H]⁵⁺ complexes were likely to form a monomer-monomer-Cu (M-M-Cu) structure instead of a monomer-Cu-monomer (M-Cu-M) structure.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2019

The ${\pi}-{\pi}$ interactions of the peptide-dimer and peptide-trimer complexes were investigated in the (VQIVYK + LYQLEN) and (VQIVYK + NNQQNY) mixing solutions. The results showed that tyrosine (Y) residues were critical in the formation of hetero peptide-dimers and -trimers during the early oligomerization process. We used collision-induced dissociation (CID) along with electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS) to obtain the structural information of the hetero-dimers and -trimers. We chose three amyloidogenic peptides-VQIVYK, NNQQNY, and LYQLEN-from tau protein, yeast prion-like protein Sup35, and insulin chain A, respectively. Hetero-dimer, -trimer, -tetramer, and -pentamer complexes were observed in the mass spectra. The tandem mass spectrum of the hetero-dimer and hetero-trimer showed two different fragmentation patterns (covalent and non-covalent bond dissociation). Y-Y interaction structures were also proposed for the hetero-dimer and -trimer complexes.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2015

The current official perfluorochemicals (PFCs) analysis method is established with hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) solid phase extraction (SPE) clean-up method with LC-tandem mass spectrometry ($MS^n$). Herein the HLB clean-up method from the official method by Korean government was modified with Envi-Carb$^{TM}$ to improve the clean-up efficiency for agricultural water and the unexpected UV disturbance in the water was effectively removed by the adsorbent treatment without a significant disturbance of quantitation. And quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (qTOFMS) was suggested to the available $MS^n$ instruments for the residue analysis of PFCs based on the ng/L of quantitation limits in water as well.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.2028-2036
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• 2017

The Escherichia coli K-12 and B strains are among the most frequently used bacterial hosts for scientific research and biotechnological applications. However, omics analyses have revealed that E. coli K-12 and B exhibit notably different genotypic and phenotypic attributes, even though they were derived from the same ancestor. In a previous study, we identified a limited number of proteins from the two strains using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). In this study, an in-depth analysis of the physiological behavior of the E. coli K-12 and B strains at the proteomic level was performed using six-plex isobaric tandem mass tag-based quantitative MS. Additionally, the best lysis buffer for increasing the efficiency of protein extraction was selected from three tested buffers prior to the quantitative proteomic analysis. This study identifies the largest number of proteins in the two E. coli strains reported to date and is the first to show the dynamics of these proteins. Notable differences in proteins associated with key cellular properties, including some metabolic pathways, the biosynthesis and degradation of amino acids, membrane integrity, cellular tolerance, and motility, were found between the two representative strains. Compared with previous studies, these proteomic results provide a more holistic view of the overall state of E. coli cells based on a single proteomic study and reveal significant insights into why the two strains show distinct phenotypes. Additionally, the resulting data provide in-depth information that will help fine-tune processes in the future.