On-line Capillary Electrophoresis Research Articles

The aqueous phase nitration of phenol and benzoic acid studied through flow-gated capillary electrophoresis

The aqueous phase nitration of benzoic acid and phenol was investigated via on-line capillary electrophoresis (CE). The presence of nitrated benzoic acid and phenol was supported through appearance of corresponding molecular ion peaks in ESI-MS measurements, and speciation of the nitrated isomers is achieved via the on-line CE method. The nitrated isomers produced in both reactions were successfully separated in <4 min by addition of 15 mM β-cyclodextrin to the electrophoresis buffer. Sequential separations (on-line analysis) allowed the reaction kinetics to be described. For benzoic acid, reaction yields were low (2–3%) however, results suggest both 3- and 2-nitrobenzoic acid form in a 1–1.4 concentration ratio. In addition, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid also forms in significant quantity under our reaction conditions. For the nitration of phenol, the reaction occurred more rapidly with observed yields between ≈10–30% for individual isomers. The yield of 2-nitrophenol was higher than 4-nitrophenol by a ratio of ≈ 1.7–2, but 3-nitrophenol was not detected. For both reactions, nitrated and hydroxylated aromatics were the major products and formation of higher molecular weight oligomers was not observed.

On‐line capillary electrophoresis derivatization method for high sensitivity analysis of ubiquitin in filtered cerebrospinal fluid

Electrophoretically mediated microanalysis was implemented for on-line fluorescence derivatization of ubiquitin (UBI), a potential biomarker of Alzheimer disease. Ubiquitin was labeled on its amino groups by the Fluoprobes® 488 N-hydroxysuccinimide. The pH of the BGE, the applied electric field, and the washing process of the capillary were optimized. The best derivatization yield was obtained at pH 9.5 under an electric field of ∼210 V/cm. The concentration and volume of the fluorescent dye as well as the sample medium and volume of injected UBI were also optimized. In order to improve further the LOD of UBI, electrophoretically mediated microanalysis was performed in a wider (100 μm id) and longer (110 cm) capillary. As expected, these capillary dimensions improved the analytical sensitivity of UBI when compared to the 50 μm id capillary. Under the optimized conditions, this analytical methodology allowed the analysis of free UBI in standard solution with a LOD of ∼15 nM. Finally, the on-line fluorescent derivatization of UBI was applied to the detection and the quantification of UBI in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. Due to the high salt concentration of biological samples, desalting of CSF was required prior to the CE analysis. Quantification of UBI in CSF either by a direct evaluation of peak areas or using the standard addition method was achieved.

On-line capillary electrophoresis enrichment by combining chitosan trapping with surfactant assisted sample stacking for the ultratrace determination of organic acids in Plateau alfalfa roots

In this paper, four organic acids constituents of Plateau alfalfa roots have been identified and detected by a novel capillary electrophoresis (CE) strategy which combined chitosan (CS) trapping and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) assisted sample stacking. Under the optimized condition, organic acids, i.e., aconitic acid, gallic acid, citric acid and l-malic acid were concentrated and separated within 3min. Validation parameters of this method (such as detection limits, linearity and precision) were also investigated and the limit of detection (LOD) was 2.41–53.9ngmL−1. Linearity was obtained over the magnitude range of 5–4000ngmL−1 approximately for different organic acids and 3×102–1.5×104 folds enrichment was achieved. The method has been applied to the determination of organic acids in roots of normal grown Plateau alfalfa and stressing affected Plateau alfalfa. Satisfactory results and recoveries were obtained in the analysis without costly and complicated sample pretreatment.

Offline and online capillary electrophoresis enzyme assays of β-N-acetylhexosaminidase

Enzyme assays of β-N-acetylhexosaminidase from Aspergillus oryzae using capillary electrophoresis in the offline and online setup have been developed. The pH value and concentration of the borate-based background electrolyte were optimized in order to achieve baseline separation of N,N',N″-triacetylchitotriose, N,N'-diacetylchitobiose, and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. The optimized method using 25 mM tetraborate buffer, pH 10.0, was evaluated in terms of repeatability, limits of detection, quantification, and linearity. The method was successfully applied to the offline enzyme assay of β-N-acetylhexosaminidase, which was demonstrated by monitoring the hydrolysis of N,N',N″-triacetylchitotriose. The presented method was also utilized to study the pH dependence of enzyme activity. An online assay with N,N'-diacetylchitobiose as a substrate was developed using the Transverse Diffusion of Laminar Flow Profiles model to optimize the injection sequence and in-capillary mixing of substrate and enzyme plugs. The experimental results were in good agreement with predictions of the model. The online assay was successfully used to observe the inhibition effect of N,N'-dimethylformamide on the activity of β-N-acetylhexosaminidase with nanoliter volumes of reagents used per run and a high degree of automation. After adjustment of background electrolyte pH, an online assay with N,N',N″-triacetylchitotriose as a substrate was also performed.

On-line capillary electrophoresis for enhanced detection sensitivity of feline panleukopenia virus

A rapid on-line capillary electrophoresis (CE) method for highly sensitive detection of DNA molecules with specific lengths was developed based on the combination of base stacking (BS) and programmed field strength gradients (PFSG). The BS method has been performed for on-column concentration to improve detection sensitivity without any modification of the CE system. PFSG increased the electrophoretic velocity of DNA molecules, which effectively decreased analysis time. Using the BS and PFSG combination, the amplified PCR product (340-bp DNA) of cats infected with feline panleukopenia virus was detected within 6.5min. Detection sensitivity (∼10-fold) was enhanced compared to conventional CE analysis. The combined on-line CE/BS-PFSG methodology could be an effectively rapid analysis technique for the highly sensitive detection of disease-related specific DNA molecules.

Method for the Sequential Online Analysis of Enzyme Reactions Based on Capillary Electrophoresis

We have developed an easy-to-operate and effective method for performing the sequential online analysis of enzyme reactions based on capillary electrophoresis (CE). The system was constructed by passing two capillaries through a sample vial at a distance of 5 μm between the capillary ends. Direct online sample injection and sequential CE analysis were achieved by periodically switching the high-voltage power supply off and on, without any physical disturbance of the capillary inlet. The sample was injected via concentration diffusion with in-column derivatization of the amino acids occurring at the interface of the capillaries. High reproducibility of the sequential injections was demonstrated with relative standard deviation values (n = 20) of 1.01%, 1.25%, and 0.80% for peak height, peak area, and migration time, respectively. Sequential online CE enzyme assay of a glutamate pyruvate transaminase catalyzed enzyme reaction was carried out by simultaneously monitoring the substrate consumption and the product formation every 30 s from the beginning to the end of the reaction. The Michaelis constants for the reaction were obtained and were found to be in good agreement with the results of traditional off-line enzyme assays. Our method has great potential for usage in sequential online CE analysis of chemical reactions with in-column chemical derivatization of the analytes for ultraviolet or laser-induced fluorescence detection.

Integrated microfluidic chip for rapid DNA digestion and time-resolved capillary electrophoresis analysis.

An integrated microfluidic chip is proposed for rapid DNA digestion and time-resolved capillary electrophoresis (CE) analysis. The chip comprises two gel-filled chambers for DNA enrichment and purification, respectively, a T-form micromixer for DNA/restriction enzyme mixing, a serpentine channel for DNA digestion reaction, and a CE channel for on-line capillary electrophoresis analysis. The DNA and restriction enzyme are mixed electroomostically using a pinched-switching DC field. The experimental and numerical results show that a mixing performance of 97% is achieved within a distance of 1 mm from the T-junction when a driving voltage of 90 V/cm and a switching frequency of 4 Hz are applied. Successive mixing digestion and capillary electrophoresis operation clearly present the changes on digesting φx-174 DNA in different CE runs. The time-resolved electropherograms show that the proposed device enables a φx-174 DNA sample comprising 11 fragments to be concentrated and analyzed within 24 min. Overall, the results presented in this study show that the proposed microfluidic chip provides a rapid and effective tool for DNA digestion and CE analysis applications.

Vinyl functionalized silica hybrid monolith-based trypsin microreactor for on line digestion and separation via thiol-ene “click” strategy

A novel thiol-ene “click” strategy for the preparation of monolithic trypsin microreactor was proposed. The hybrid organic–inorganic monolithic capillary column with ene-functionality was fabricated by sol–gel process using tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-MAPS) as precursors. The disulfide bonds of trypsin were reduced to form free thiol groups. Then the trypsin containing free thiol groups was attached on the γ-MAPS hybrid monolithic column with ene-functionality via thiol-ene click chemistry to form a trypsin microreactor. The activity of the trypsin microreactor was characterized by detecting the substrate (Nα- p-tosyl- l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride, TAME) and the product (Nα- p-tosyl- l-arginine, TA) with on-line capillary zone electrophoresis. After investigating various synthesizing conditions, it was found that the microreactor with poly(N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide) as spacer can deliver the highest activity, yielding a rapid reaction rate. After repeatedly sampling and analyzing for 100 times, the monolithic trypsin microreactor still remained 87.5% of its initial activity. It was demonstrated that thiol-ene “click” strategy for the construction of enzyme microreactor is a promising method for the highly selective immobilization of proteins under mild conditions, especially enzymes with free thiol radicals.

Determination of the number of binding sites and binding constant between diltiazem hydrochloride and human serum albumin by ultrasonic microdialysis coupled with online capillary electrophoresis electrochemiluminescence

A simple, sensitive and selective determination of diltiazem hydrochloride (DLT) is described using capillary electrophoresis electrochemiluminescence (CE-ECL). The CE-ECL parameters that affect separation and detection were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the linear range of DLT was from 0.02 to 100 μmol/L ( r 2 = 0.9983), with the detection limit of 5.1 nmol/L (3 σ). The relative standard deviations of ECL intensity and the migration time were <2% for 0.1 μmol/L and 22 μmol/L DLT ( n = 11). A new technique for determining of the number of binding sites and binding constant between DLT and HSA was developed using ultrasonic microdialysis coupled with CE-ECL. The number of binding sites and binding constant were 5.9 and 6.3 × 10 4 L/mol, respectively. The time required for ultrasonic microdialysis was 10 times less than that for traditional dialysis. Compared with traditional dialysis, ultrasonic microdialysis is simple, rapid, and should be applicable to a wide range of interactions of drugs and biomacromolecules.

On-Line Flow Injection—Capillary Electrophoresis Instrument with Contactless Conductivity Detection for Sensitive Cation Analyses

A new system for on-line analyses of metal cations has been developed by combining flow injection sample introduction with on-line capillary electrophoresis. The on-line analysis instrument has a simple construction and it allows fast sample introduction from a flowing solution. The ends of the separation capillary and the electrodes were placed opposite to each other into tubings that were installed over them behaving as flow-through channels. The capillary temperature during the analyses was controlled by water cooling and the analyte monitoring was conducted with a contactless conductivity detector. The construction allowed compound detection of very low concentrations. The instrument was used for simultaneous determination of ammonium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium as complexes in aqueous 18-crown-6 ether – acetate electrolyte solution. Flow injection analysis of sample introduction was kept apart from the ligand modified electrolyte solution. Calibration with standard mixtures of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and ammonium was linear in the range from 10 ng/mL to 1 µg/mL for each analyte. The intraday reproducibility for the separations was 2% (RSD). The detection limit for the cations was 10 ng/mL. The studies showed the performance of the method to be sensitive for the monitoring of inorganic ions in water treatment.

On-Line CE−LIF−MS Technology for the Direct Characterization of N-Linked Glycans from Therapeutic Antibodies

Glycan characterization of therapeutic proteins is of utmost importance due to the role of carbohydrates in protein stability, half-life, efficacy and mechanism of action. The primary assay for characterization and lot release of N-linked glycans on glycoprotein products at Genentech, Inc., is a capillary electrophoresis (CE) based assay, wherein PNGase F-released, APTS-labeled glycans are separated by CE with laser induced fluorescence (LIF) detection. With the growing number of new molecular entities in the pipeline, a fast and direct characterization approach is of increasing importance. This paper describes the development of CE-MS technology with on-line LIF detection that allows identification of major and minor glycan species (1-5% of total glycans) by providing accurate mass information. Data is presented for therapeutic rMAbs which presented previously unidentified, minor peaks during routine CE-LIF analysis. CE-LIF-MS was then used to provide accurate mass on these species, identifying CE peaks corresponding to sialylated (G1 + NANA, G2 + NANA), afucosylated (G0-GlcNAc-fucose) and low-level isomers of major APTS-labeled glycans G0, G1, G1' and G2.

Trypsin entrapped in poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) silica sol‐gel microreactor coupled to matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

An enzyme-immobilized capillary microreactor for rapid protein digestion and proteomics analysis is reported. The inner surface of the fused-silica capillary was coated with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA)-entrapped silica sol-gel matrix, followed by assembly of trypsin onto the PDDA-modified surface via electrostatic adsorption. The immobilization parameters such as PDDA content in the sol-gel matrix, trypsin concentration and pH were investigated in detail. Protein samples including beta-casein, myoglobin and cytochrome c could be effectively digested and electrophoretically separated simultaneously in such a modified capillary. Just 2.26 ng (corresponding to 0.10-0.14 picomole) of sample was sufficient for on-line capillary electrophoresis peptide mapping. The efficiency of the digestion was further demonstrated by digestion of a human liver cytoplasm sample and 253 proteins were identified in one unique run.

The rate of intravenous cocaine administration alters c- fos mRNA expression and the temporal dynamics of dopamine, but not glutamate, overflow in the striatum

The rapid entry of drugs into the brain is thought to increase the propensity for addiction. The mechanisms that underlie this effect are not known, but variation in the rate of intravenous cocaine delivery does influence its ability to induce immediate early gene expression (IEG) in the striatum, and to produce psychomotor sensitization. Both IEG induction and psychomotor sensitization are dependent upon dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission within the striatum. We hypothesized, therefore, that varying the rate of intravenous cocaine delivery might influence dopamine and/or glutamate overflow in the striatum. To test this we used microdialysis coupled to on-line capillary electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence, which allows for very rapid sampling, to compare the effects of a rapid (5 s) versus a slow (100 s) intravenous cocaine infusion on extracellular dopamine and glutamate levels in the striatum of freely moving rats. An acute injection of cocaine had no effect on extracellular glutamate, at either rate tested. In contrast, although peak levels of dopamine were unaffected by infusion rate, dopamine levels increased more rapidly when cocaine was administered over 5 versus 100 s. Moreover, c- fos mRNA expression in the region of the striatum sampled was greater when cocaine was administered rapidly than when given slowly. These data suggest that small differences in the temporal dynamics of dopamine neurotransmission may have a large effect on the subsequent induction of intracellular signalling cascades that lead to immediate early gene expression, and in this way influence the ability of cocaine to produce long-lasting changes in brain and behavior.

On-Line Drug Metabolism in Capillary Electrophoresis. 1. Glucuronidation Using Rat Liver Microsomes

A rat liver microsome pseudostationary phase has been used for the on-line capillary electrophoresis monitoring of glucuronidation. Uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.17) containing microsomes was isolated from rat liver and directly injected onto neutrally coated capillary containing polymeric replaceable gels followed by injection of the substrate mixture. On-line glucuronidation was observed within 15 min without any sample preparation. The factors affecting the separation of glucuronides and parent compounds were investigated by varying the applied electric fields and the size (length and internal diameter) of capillary. The Michaelis-Menten parameters (Km and Vmax) for the glucuronidation of 4-methyl-7-hydroxy coumarin and 4-nitrophenol were determined using the CE method and by off-line microsomal incubation. No significant differences were observed for Km and Vmax values for 4-methyl-7-hydroxycoumarin and 4-nitrophenol between on-line and off-line glucuronidation of these two compounds. This method was also used to determine the inhibition constant (IC50 value) for the competitive inhibition of morphine glucuronidation by codeine, IC50 (on-line) = 170 vs 580 microM (off-line). The results demonstrate that this method can be used to screen for the glucuronidation of test compounds and should reduce the time required for this screening process.

On-line capillary electrophoresis FTIR detection for the separation and characterization of proteins

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) with on-line FTIR spectroscopic detection was used to separate a mixture of three model proteins and to provide information on the dominant secondary structures of the separated proteins. On-line FTIR transmission measurements were achieved using a micro-machined flow cell made out of CaF 2 and SU-8 polymer which was attached to the fused silica capillaries using commercial O-rings. The IR beam was focused on the detection window using an off-axis parabolic mirror attached to an external optical port of the spectrometer. As the absorption of water heavily overlaps the so-called amide I band of the proteins the separations were carried out in heavy water (D 2O). The model proteins studied were myoglobin, α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin having different secondary structures. It could be shown that the performance of the separation was comparable to conventional UV–vis detection and that the IR-peak positions of the proteins studied were the same as obtained in reference measurements using the ATR technique.

Capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry as a characterization tool for therapeutic proteins

With the increasing use of capillary electrophoresis (CE) in the biotechnology industry, there is a demand for analytical tools and methodology that can be used to characterize CE profiles. This article describes the implementation and optimization of a robust online CE–mass spectrometry (CE–MS) system used for the characterization of several CE assays developed at Genentech Inc. These assays include CE as a complement to reverse-phase peptide mapping for the identification of small peptides eluting in the void volume, profiling N-linked glycopeptide heterogeneity, and determining O-linked site occupancy. In addition, CE–MS was used to confirm major 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate (APTS)-labeled glycans released from recombinant antibodies that are routinely profiled by CE–laser-induced fluorescence (CE–LIF). For each study, CE–MS was able to successfully identify components seen in UV or LIF electropherograms, thereby expanding the capability of CE and CE–MS for profiling biomolecules.

Design and evaluation of a coupled monolithic preconcentrator-capillary zone electrophoresis system for the extraction of immunoglobulin G from human serum

The analysis of proteins in biological fluids by capillary electrophoresis (CE) is of interest in clinical chemistry. However, due to low analyte concentrations and poor concentration limits of detection (CLOD), protein analysis by this technique is frequently challenging. Coupling preconcentration techniques with CE greatly improves the CLOD. An on-line preconcentration-CE method that can selectively preconcentrate any protein for which an antibody is available would be very useful for the analysis of low abundance proteins and would establish CE as a major tool in biomarker discovery. To accomplish this, the development of an on-line protein G monolithic preconcentrator-CE device is proposed. To generate active groups for protein immobilization, glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was used to prepare polymer monoliths. A 1.5–2 cm monolith was cast inside a 75 μm I.D. fused silica capillary that had previously been coated with alternating layers of negatively (dextran) and positively (polybrene) charged polymers. Protein G was covalently bound to GMA. Monoliths from different formulations were prepared and evaluated for binding capacity to optimize the monolith formulation for protein preconcentration. The physical properties of the column considered best for preconcentration were determined by mercury intrusion porosimetry. The total pore area was 4.8 m 2/g, the average pore diameter was 3.3 μm and the porosity was 82%. The monolith had a low flow resistance and was macroscopically homogeneous. The effectiveness of the monolith to rapidly preconcentrate proteins at flow rates as high as 10 μL/min was demonstrated using a 1.8 μM IgG solution. This system proved effective for on-line sample extraction, clean-up, preconcentration, and CE of IgG in human serum. IgG from diluted (500 and 65,000 times) human serum samples was successfully analyzed using this system. The approach can be applied to the on-line preconcentration and analysis of any protein for which an antibody is available.

Impact of diabetic nephropathy and angiotensin II receptor blockade on urinary polypeptide patterns

New insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of diabetic renal disease may emerge from recent advances in proteomics using high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS) of urine. Using a combination of online capillary electrophoresis (CE) and MS we evaluated urinary polypeptide patterns in four groups of type 2 diabetic patients matched for age, gender, and diabetes duration, including 20 normoalbuminuric patients with and 20 without diabetic retinopathy, 20 microalbuminuric patients with diabetic retinopathy, and 18 macroalbuminuric patients with diabetic retinopathy. Furthermore, changes in urinary polypeptide patterns during treatment with the angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) candesartan were evaluated in the macroalbuminuric patients in a randomized double-blinded, cross-over trial where each patient received treatment with placebo, candesartan 8, 16, and 32 mg daily each for 2 months. Overall, 4551 different polypeptides were found in the samples. Urinary polypeptide patterns were comparable in normo- (with and without diabetic retinopathy) and microalbuminuric patients, whereas distinct differences were found in macroalbuminuric patients. Differences in urinary polypeptide patterns between normo- and macroalbuminuric patients permitted the establishment of a "diabetic renal damage" pattern consisting of 113 polypeptides. Eleven of these polypeptides had been sequenced and identified. Candesartan treatment in macroalbuminuric patients significantly changed 15 of the 113 polypeptides in the diabetic renal damage pattern toward levels in normoalbuminuric patients. Change in the diabetic renal damage pattern was not candesartan dose-dependent but individual changes correlated with changes in urinary albumin excretion at each dose level. CE-MS serves as a fast and sensitive tool for identification of biomarkers and urinary polypeptide patterns specific for macroalbuminuric type 2 diabetic patients and may be used to explore and monitor renoprotective effects of ARB.

Analytical approaches to expanding the use of capillary electrophoresis in routine food analysis

Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) is becoming an ever more powerful analytical technique for the separation, identification, and quantification of a wide variety of compounds of interest in many application fields. Particularly in food analysis this technique can offer interesting advantages over chromatographic techniques because of its greater simplicity and efficiency. Nevertheless, CE needs to advance with regard to compatibility with sample matrices, sensitivity, and robustness of the methodologies in order to gain even wider acceptance in food analysis laboratories, specially for routine work. This article presents various approaches to expanding the analytical usefulness of CE in food analysis, discussing their advantages over conventional CE. These approaches focus on sample screening, automated sample preparation with on-line CE arrangements, and the automatic integration of calibration in routine analytical work with CE.

Real-time Detection of Basal and Stimulated G Protein GTPase Activity Using Fluorescent GTP Analogues

Hydrolysis of fluorescent GTP analogues BODIPY FL guanosine 5 '-O-(thiotriphosphate) (BGTPgammaS) and BODIPY FL GTP (BGTP) by Galpha(i1) and Galpha was characterized using on-line capillary electrophoresis (o) laser-induced fluorescence assays in order that changes in sub-strate, substrate-enzyme complex, and product could be monitored separately. Apparent k values (V /[E]) (max cat) steady-state and K(m) values were determined from assays for each substrate-protein pair. When BGTP was the substrate, maximum turnover numbers for Galpha and Galpha(i1) were 8.3 +/- 1 x 10(-3) and 3.0 +/- 0.2 x 10(-2) s(-1), respectively, and K(m) values were 120 +/- 60 and 940 +/- 160 nm. Assays with BGTPgammaS yielded maximum turnover numbers of 1.6 +/- 0.1 x 10(-4) and 5.5 +/- 0.3 x 10(-4) s(-1) for Galpha and Galpha(i1); K(m) values were 14 (o)(+/-)8 and 87 +/- 22 nm. Acceleration of Galpha GTPase activity by regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) was demonstrated in both steady-state and pseudo-single-turnover assay formats with BGTP. Nanomolar RGS increased the rate of enzyme product formation (BODIPY(R) FL GDP (BGDP)) by 117-213% under steady-state conditions and accelerated the rate of G protein-BGTP complex decay by 199 -778% in pseudo-single-turnover assays. Stimulation of GTPase activity by RGS proteins was inhibited 38-81% by 40 mum YJ34, a previously reported peptide RGS inhibitor. Taken together, these results illustrate that Galpha subunits utilize BGTP as a substrate similarly to GTP, making BGTP a useful fluorescent indicator of G protein activity. The unexpected levels of BGTPgammaS hydrolysis detected suggest that caution should be used when interpreting data from fluorescence assays with this probe.