title: Characteristic fragmentation of bacteriohopanepolyols during atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry.
abstract: Bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) fragment via characteristic pathways during atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (APCI-LC/MS(n)). Comparison of the MS(2) spectra of bacteriohopane-32,33,34,35-tetrol (BHT) and 2 beta-methylbacteriohopane-32,33,34,35-tetrol has confirmed the previously proposed ring-C cleavage occurring between C-9 and 11 and C-8 and 14. This fragmentation, diagnostic of all hopanoids, also occurs in BHPs containing an amino group (-NH(2)) at C-35 although the higher relative stability of the ion limits this fragmentation to a minor process after protonation of the basic nitrogen function. Studies of a number of cell cultures including a prochlorophyte (Prochlorothrix hollandica) and a cyanobacterium (Chlorogloeopsis LA) demonstrate the power of this technique to detect composite BHPs with a complex biological functionality at C-35. We also report the first observation of intact pentafunctionalised bacteriohopanepolyols using this method.
authors.affiliation: NRG, School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Drummond Building, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK. h.m.talbot@ncl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Summons
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jahnke
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farrimond
mesh_terms: D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D019692:Prochlorothrix / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D014315:Triterpenes