title: Mass-spectrometric analysis of N-acetylchitooligosaccharides prepared through enzymatic hydrolysis of chitosan.
abstract: A semipreparative scale chromatography of N-acetylchitooligosaccharides (GlcNac)2-7 on a reversed-phase C-16 HPLC column is reported. The initial material was obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of chitosan with a complex of chitinases from Streptomyces kurssanovii, followed by a complete acetylation of amino groups. Isolated N-acetylchitooligosaccharides were characterized by the mass-spectrometric method. On interacting with the sample, the fragments of 252Cf caused desorption of quasi-molecular ions of the substance. All mass spectra of chitin oligomers contained intense quasi-molecular ions [M + Na]+ and a less intense [M + K]+ ion. Fragment ions, compared to the quasi-molecular ion [M + K]+, had a lower intensity and confirmed the structure of samples under study. Due to this phenomenon, an accurate analysis of both individual compounds and mixtures of N-acetylchitooligosaccharides (n = 2-7) may be performed.
authors.affiliation: Center for Bioengineering, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lopatin
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ilyin
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Pustobaev
authors.forename: Z A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Bezchetnikova
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Varlamov
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Davankov
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D002686:Chitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D002688:Chitinases; D048271:Chitosan; D006868:Hydrolysis; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009844:Oligosaccharides; D002686:Chitin; D048271:Chitosan; D002688:Chitinases