title: Structure of muramic acid TMS derivative mass spectrum's base ion (m/z=185) used for quantification of bacterial peptidoglycan.
abstract: The use of trimethylsilyl (TMS)-derivatisation for determining muramic acid in environmental and clinical samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry provides high detection sensitivity; however, questions have been raised as concerns the chemical structure of the entity giving the strong signal of m/z 185. In the present communication we present evidence that this entity results from the formation of a lactam structure of muramic acid upon derivatisation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Dermatology and Infection, University of Lund, Solvegatan 23, 223 62 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bal
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mielniczuk
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mielniczuk
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009112:Muramic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000032:analysis*; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009112:Muramic Acids; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds