Membrane proteins are notoriously challenging to analyze using mass spectrometry (MS) because of their insolubility in aqueous solution. Current MS methods for studying intact membrane proteins involve solubilization in detergent. However, detergents can destabilize proteins, leading to protein unfolding and aggregation, or resulting in inactive entities. Amphipathic polymers, termed amphipols,...

Traditionally, the d-amino acid containing peptide (DAACP) candidate can be discovered by observing the differences of biological activity and chromatographic retention time between the synthetic peptides and naturally occurring peptides. However, it is difficult to determine the exact position of d-amino acid in the DAACP candidates. Herein, we developed a novel site-specific strategy to rapid...

Glucuronidation not only plays a detoxifying role in living body, but it also can complicate pharmacological and toxicological profiles of new drug candidates by forming active and reactive conjugated metabolites. The opportunity to elucidate structure of conjugated metabolites has increased in drug metabolism studies at the early development stage. General methodologies for the structure eluci...

An overview is given on mass spectrometry-based metabolomics: past, current, and future developments. Understanding the metabolome is challenging due to the enormous diversity of metabolite structures. Metabolomics uses a range of tools, established as service at the NIH West Coast Metabolomics Center at UC Davis. We here explore the use of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) in combination with li...

Ion mobility spectrometry combined with multi-capillary columns (MCC/IMS) is a well known technology for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We may utilize MCC/IMS for scanning human exhaled air, bacterial colonies or cell lines, for example. Thereby we gain information about the human health status or infection threats. We may further study the metabolic response of living cells to ex...

Latent fingerprints provide a potential route to the secure, high throughput and non-invasive detection of drugs of abuse. In this study we show for the first time that the excreted metabolites of drugs of abuse can be detected in fingerprints using ambient mass spectrometry. Fingerprints and oral fluid were taken from patients attending a drug and alcohol treatment service. Gas chromatography ...

Ambient ionization methods, such as laser ablation electrospray ionization (LAESI), facilitate the direct analysis of unperturbed cells and tissues in their native states. However, the lack of a separation step in these ionization techniques results in limited molecular coverage due to interferences, ion suppression effects, and the lack of ability to differentiate between structural isomers an...

In the present work we present an investigation of the negative ion-molecule chemistry of the anaesthetics isoflurane, ISOF, and enflurane, ENF, in an ion mobility spectrometry/mass spectrometry (IMS/MS), in both air and nitrogen. Hexachloroethane (HCE) was introduced in both air and nitrogen to produce Cl- as a reactant ion. This study was undertaken owing to uncertainties in the chemical proc...