Scope [2]

Use of Magnetic Mesocellular Carbon Foams for Efficient Enrichment and Desalting of Protein Digests in Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Young-Pil Kim,1 Kun Cho,2 Dohoon Lee,1 Yunxian Piao,1 Yeong Hee Ahn,2 Jong Shin Yoo,2 Taeghwan Hyun3 and Hak-Sung Kim1,*

1Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Korea

2MS Instrumentation Division, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Daejeon 305-333, Korea

3School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744, Korea

*E-mail :

We demonstrate that magnetic mesocellular carbon foams (Mag-MCF-C) can be effectively used for enrichment and desalting of protein digests or peptides in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS).[1] Large mesocellular pores and surface area of Mag-MCF-C[2] are likely to mainly contribute to high efficiency in enrichment and desalting of protein digests. Magnetic property of Mag-MCF-C enabled easy and simple enrichment and desalting process comprising adsorption, washing, and separation steps by using external magnet. Following elution from Mag-MCF-C by using a matrix solution (CHCA in 70% ACN/0.1% TFA), the peptides were subjected to MALDI-MS analysis. As a result, MALDI-MS spectra of peptides or tryptic protein digests were distinct even at the peptide concentration as low as 50 pM. The use of Mag-MCF-C resulted in significantly improved sequence coverage for protein identification when compared to other conventional methods. Mag-MCF-C will find applications in mass spectrometric analysis of low abundance peptides or protein digests with high sensitivity.

References

[1] Y.-P. Kim, K. Cho, D. Lee, Y. Piao, Y. H. Ahn, J. S. Yoo, T. Hyun and H.-S. Kim. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. In Press (2007).

[2] J. Lee, D. Lee, E. Oh, J. Kim, Y.-P. Kim, S. Jin, H.-S. Kim, Y. Hwang, J. H. Kwak, J. G. Park, C. H. Shin, J. Kim, and T. Hyeon. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 44, 7427-7432, (2005).

Keywords: magnetic mesoporous carbon, enrichment, desalting, mass spectrometry, peptides, protein digests