Oligonucleotide analysis by nanoparticle-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

• Published in: Analyst (London) Vol. 137; no. 9; pp. 26 - 21
• Main Authors: Taira, Shu, Osaka, Issey, Shimma, Shuich, Kaneko, Daisaku, Hiroki, Tomoyuki, Kawamura-Konishi, Yasuko, Ichiyanagi, Yuko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 07.05.2012
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Base Sequence; Chemistry; DNA - analysis; DNA - chemistry; DNA - genetics; Exact sciences and technology; Ionization; Lasers; Mass spectrometry; Mass Spectrometry - methods; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanostructure; Oligonucleotides; Oligonucleotides - analysis; Oligonucleotides - chemistry; Oligonucleotides - genetics; Oxides - chemistry; RNA - analysis; RNA - chemistry; RNA - genetics; Spectrometric and optical methods; Transition Elements - chemistry; Drug; Iron oxide; Peptides; Hydrogen; Nanoparticle; Sample; Use; Citrate; Metal ion; Iron; Transition metal; Method; Laser desorption; Signal; Gene; Ionization; Reagents; End; Oligonucleotide; Peak; Mass spectrometry; Adduct
• ISSN: 0003-2654; 1364-5528
• DOI: 10.1039/c2an16237g

We analyzed oligonucleotides by nanoparticle-assisted laser desorption/ionization (nano-PALDI) mass spectrometry (MS). To this end, we prepared several kinds of nanoparticles (Cr-, Fe-, Mn-, Co-based) and optimized the nano-PALDI MS method to analyze the oligonucleotides. Iron oxide nanoparticles with diammonium hydrogen citrate were found to serve as an effective ionization-assisting reagent in MS. The mass spectra showed both [M H] and [M + x Me 2+ H] (Me: transition metal) peaks. The number of metal-adducted ion signals depended on the length of the oligonucleotide. This phenomenon was only observed using bivalent metal core nanoparticles, not with any other valency metal core nanoparticles. Our pilot study demonstrated that iron oxide nanoparticles could easily ionize samples such as chemical drugs and peptides as well as oligonucleotides without the aid of an oligonucleotide-specific chemical matrix ( e.g. , 3-hydroxypicolinic acid) used in conventional MS methods. These results suggested that iron-based nanoparticles may serve as the assisting material of ionization for genes and other biomolecules. Nano-Particle Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (Nano-PALDI MS) could ionize oligonucleotide and showed specific MS spectra with transition metal adducted signals.