Mass spectrometry analysis of polyisoprenoids alcohols and carotenoids via ESI(Li(+))-MS/MS

Methods Mol Biol. 2009:580:109-28. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60761-325-1_6.

Abstract

Direct analysis of polyisoprenoid alcohols by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) often produces poor results requiring off-line time- and sample-consuming derivatization techniques. In this chapter, we describe a simple ESI-MS approach for the direct analysis of polyisoprenoid alcohols from biological samples. Lithium iodide is used to promote cationization by intense formation of [M+Li](+) adducts. Detection of polyisoprenoids with mass determination can thus be performed with high sensitivity (LOD near 100 pM), whereas characteristic collision-induced dissociations observed for both dolichols and polyprenols permit investigation of their structure. We also describe a simple ESI-MS approach for the direct analysis of carotenoids in biological samples using lithium iodide to promote their ionization and the analysis of several carotenoids as proof-of-principle cases. Finally, we applied ESI(Li(+))-MS and ESI(Li(+))-MS/MS to investigate the presence of carotenoids in Plasmodium falciparum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alcohols / analysis*
  • Alcohols / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Carotenoids / analysis*
  • Carotenoids / chemistry
  • Molecular Structure
  • Plasmodium falciparum / chemistry
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / methods*
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Terpenes / analysis*
  • Terpenes / chemistry

Substances

  • Alcohols
  • Terpenes
  • Carotenoids