Thiol-ene Monolithic Pepsin Microreactor with a 3D-Printed Interface for Efficient UPLC-MS Peptide Mapping Analyses

Anal Chem. 2017 Apr 18;89(8):4573-4580. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b05103. Epub 2017 Apr 4.

Abstract

To improve the sample handling, and reduce cost and preparation time, of peptide mapping LC-MS workflows in protein analytical research, we here investigate the possibility of replacing conventional enzymatic digestion methods with a polymer microfluidic chip based enzyme reactor. Off-stoichiometric thiol-ene is utilized as both bulk material and as a monolithic stationary phase for immobilization of the proteolytic enzyme pepsin. The digestion efficiency of the, thiol-ene based, immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER) is compared to that of a conventional, agarose packed bed, pepsin IMER column commonly used in LC-MS based protein analyses. The chip IMER is found to rival the conventional column in terms of digestion efficiency at comparable residence time and, using a 3D-printed interface, be directly interfaceable with LC-MS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Enzymes, Immobilized
  • Hemoglobins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Pepsin A / chemistry
  • Pepsin A / metabolism*
  • Peptide Mapping / instrumentation
  • Peptide Mapping / methods*
  • Peptides / analysis*
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Printing, Three-Dimensional*
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Enzymes, Immobilized
  • Hemoglobins
  • Peptides
  • Polymers
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • Pepsin A