Abstract
Microgram quantities of complex glycosphingolipids were fully trimethylsilylated and analyzed by mass spectrometry. Reproducible ratios of the intensities of certain sugar fragment ions to the total intensity of ions characteristic of the sphingolipid bases were used to determine the number of monosaccharides in the glycosyl moiety and how many of them were unsubstituted at C-3. N-Acetylated hexosamine residues were readily detected and further characteristic fragment ions appeared if they were the terminal residues of the oligosac-charide chain. It was also possible to distinguish between the N-glycolyl and N-acetyl forms of neuraminic acid and to determine the number of sialic acid residues present in the lipid. Considerable information about the fatty acid and long-chain base composition was obtained from the same mass spectral analysis. It has been concluded that reliable structural information can be obtained from small amounts (less than 50 micro g) of a purified glycosphingolipid.
Highlights
Microgram quantities of complex glycosphingolipids were fully trimethylsilylated and analyzed by mass spectrometry
I n an analysis of the structure of a glycosphingolipid by mass spectrometry it is assumed that the characteristic ions produced by fragmentation of the long-chain base hsve about the same probability of formation irrespective of the nature of the oligosaccharide unit
The total intensity of fragment ions for sphingosine, sphinganine, 4-hydroxysphinganine, etc., can be compared, with the intensities of fragment ions that are derived from the carbohydrate moieties in the molecule
Summary
Microgram quantities of complex glycosphingolipids were fully trimethylsilylated and analyzed by mass spectrometry. Reproducible ratios of the intensities of certain sugar fragment ions to the total intensity of ions characteristic of the sphingolipid bases were used to determine the number of monosaccharidesin the glycosyl moiety and how many of them were unsubstituted at C-3. N-Acetylated hexosamine residues were readily detected and further characteristic fragment ions appeared if they were the terminal residues of the oligosaccharide chain. It was possible to distinguish between the A’-glycolyl and N-acetyl forms of neuraminic acid and to determine the number of sialic acid residues present in the lipid. Considerable information about the fatty acid and long-chain base composition was obtained from the same mass spectral analysis.It has been concluded that reliable structural information can be obtained from small amounts (less than 50 pg) of a purified glycosphingolipid
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