title: Microextraction of bacterial lipid A: easy and rapid method for mass spectrometric characterization.
abstract: Endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides) are the main components of Gram-negative bacterial outer membranes. A quick and simple way to isolate their lipid region (lipid A) directly from whole bacterial cells was devised. This method using hot ammonium-isobutyrate solvent was applied to small quantities of cells and proved to be indispensable when a rapid characterization of lipid A structure by mass spectrometry was required. Biological activities of endotoxins are directly related to the lipid A structures, which vary greatly with cell growth conditions. This method is suitable for rough- and smooth-type bacteria and very efficient for screening variations in lipid A structures. Data are acquired in a few hours and avoid the use of phenol in extraction.
authors.affiliation: Equipe Endotoxines, Unité Mixte de Recherche 8619 du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Biochimie, Biophysique Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay, France.
authors.forename: Asmaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Hamidi
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tirsoaga
authors.forename: Alexey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Novikov
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caroff
mesh_terms: D002087:Butyrates; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry; D058610:Isobutyrates; D008050:Lipid A / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008722:Methods; D015394:Molecular Structure
chemical_list: D002087:Butyrates; D058610:Isobutyrates; D008050:Lipid A; C020380:isobutyric acid