MALDI mass spectrometry analysis of high molecular weight proteins from whole bacterial cells: pretreatment of samples with surfactants

J Am Soc Mass Spectrom. 2005 Sep;16(9):1422-1426. doi: 10.1016/j.jasms.2005.04.004.

Abstract

The use of surfactants as additives in conjunction with on-probe whole cell bacterial protein analysis employing MALDI-TOF-MS is described. Nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants were used to enhance the detection of high molecular weight proteins. Three nonionic, N-octyl-B-D-glactopyranoside, N-decyl-B-D-maltopyranoside, and N-dodecyl-B-D-maltoside, and two zwitterionic surfactants, N,N-dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide and zwittergent 3-12 were evaluated with five different MALDI matrix systems. New peaks in the mass range of 2 to 80 kDa were produced with all of the various combinations of matrix and surfactant from both whole cell gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Ferulic acid used in conjunction with a 1.0 mM solution of N-octyl-B-D-glactopyranoside produced the highest quality spectra with high signal to noise ratios and peaks up to 140 kDa.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / chemistry*
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Cell Culture Techniques / methods*
  • Molecular Weight
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Specimen Handling / methods*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*
  • Surface-Active Agents / chemistry*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Surface-Active Agents