tris(Hydroxymethyl)aminomethane: an artifact detected as an aminotetrose by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
The monosaccharide content of the ethanol-soluble moiety of crude polysaccharide fractions of the tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta and the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni was investigated by gas-liquid chromatography of alditol acetate derivatives. A prominent, unusual peak was found, and mass spectrometry suggested identification as an aminotetrose, a four-carbon aminosugar reported only once in the past 15 years [D. A. Cumming, C. G. Hellerquist, and O. Touster (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 7723-7726]. The unknown molecule was found to be tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris), whose acetylated derivative has a mass spectrum identical to that of an aminotetrose. The source of the Tris was traced to buffers used in conjunction with polysaccharide isolation.
D000606:Amino Sugars / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006926:Hymenolepis / Q000032:analysis; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000032:analysis; D014325:Tromethamine / Q000032:analysis*
D000606:Amino Sugars; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D014325:Tromethamine