Research & Teaching Faculty

Combining online size exclusion chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to characterize plant polysaccharides

TitleCombining online size exclusion chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to characterize plant polysaccharides
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsJiang, Q, Wang, Y, Li, H, Chen, DDY
JournalCarbohydrate Polymers
Volume246
Start Page116591
Pagination116591
Date Published06/2020
Type of ArticleResearch
ISSN0144-8617
KeywordsMASS SPECTROMETRY, Plant polysaccharides, size exclusion chromatography, source-induced dissociation
Abstract

Characterizing polysaccharides with large molecular weights and isomeric heterogeneity with mass spectrometry (MS) is generally difficult. In this work, we demonstrate how coupling size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and high-resolution MS with source-induced dissociation (SID) can be used for the separation and direct structural evaluation of intact polysaccharides. The analytical method was successfully developed using dextran standards up to 3755 kDa. This method was used to separate naturally occurring plant polysaccharides based on size, after which numerous polysaccharide fragments were identified from the resulting MS spectra. The results provided strong evidence for structural diversity, complexity, and heterogeneity among polysaccharides. MS showed superior sensitivity and reliability for the polysaccharides in eluted fractions when compared to a refractive index detector. Putative compositions for the fragments were proposed based on exact mass values. The work demonstrated that SEC-SID-MS is a feasible alternative for obtaining valuable structural information from the analysis of intact polysaccharides.

URLhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0144861720307657
DOI10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116591