Fucosylated and Sulfated Glycans Investigated using Cryogenic Infrared Spectroscopy

Unusual monosaccharides (fucose), covalent modifications of glycans (sulfation) and terminal sequences play important biological roles in physiology and pathology of living organisms. Furthermore, in an evolutionary sense, uncommon structures are often the result of selection pressures and can be the source to a deeper understanding of the evolution of glycosylation.157 At the same time, fucosylated glycans and sulfated glycans still challenge standard mass spectrometry (MS)-based analytical workflows in glycan analysis. MS emerged throughout the last decade as the most widely used analytical technique in glycan analysis. As a stand-alone technique, it is limited in glycan analysis due to the presence of isomers. Isomerism in glycans arises from their composition, connectivity, configuration, and branching. Therefore, MS is often coupled to orthogonal techniques such as liquid chromatography (LC) and ion mobility spectrometry (IM-MS). Most recently, the combination of cryogenic IR spectroscopy in the gas phase with MS proved beneficial for the identification of smaller glycans. At low measurement temperatures, the IR spectrum of small glycans provides a unique fingerprint to the underlying chemical structure and conformation.In this thesis, cryogenic IR spectroscopy as an addition to the MS-based analytical toolbox was used to shed light on the migration of fucose residues in MS experiments. This elusive rearrangement reaction is not restricted to tandem MS workflows but is recently found to occur in intact ions without extensive activation. Here, the role of the proton in fucose migration reactions was investigated for the two glycan epitopes Lewis x and blood group H type 2. A systematic study of adduct ions and functional groups with competing proton affinities demonstrated that the proton can be selectively mobilized and demobilized. Planning MS-based experiments of fucosylated glycan cations certainly needs an effective strategy to circumvent the presence of a mobile proton in order to avoid erroneous sequence assignments.In a multidimensional approach, IR spectroscopy, IM-MS, RDD and computational modelling were combined to decode the rearrangement product and the reaction mechanism. The trisaccharides Lewis x and blood group H type 2 were found to migrate to a third chemical structure, in which the fucose moiety is most likely 1,6-linked to galactose. The barrier is much higher for blood group H type 2 compared to Lewis x and it is feasible that the latter is never detected in its original chemical structure in the mass spectrometer. These results generalize fucose migration to a universal issue in any mass spectrometer to which even various orthogonal MS-based techniques can be blind.In the second part of this thesis, cryogenic IR spectroscopy in combination with computational modelling was employed for the structural analysis of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Diversity in the chemical structure of linear and acidic GAGs arises from the GAG class, sulfation, epimerization and acetylation. Using messenger tagging IR spectroscopy, sulfated mono- and disaccharides have been characterized successfully recently. In the present thesis, the prominent anticoagulant pentasaccharide fondaparinux which carries eight sulfate functional groups was investigated using cryogenic IR spectroscopy in helium nanodroplets as a proof-of-concept. The spectroscopic fingerprint features unique absorption bands in the mid-IR range for the sulfate functional groups. With this knowledge, a systematic set of all naturally occurring sulfation variations in chondroitin and dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) further demonstrated the capabilities of cryogenic IR spectroscopy for their differentiation. Moreover, from their IR fingerprints in combination with computational modelling, conformational diversity arising from sulfation and charge density distribution could be derived. In a different study, the IR fingerprints of four heparan sulfate (HS) diastereomers revealed a modularity in their chemical structure which was explained, using computational modelling, from their unique hydrogen bonding patterns. The knowledge of the preferred hydrogen bonding pattern could aid e.g. the development for labelling strategies in IM-MS. The results show that the high resolution in the optical fingerprints of GAGs allows to unambiguously resolve their diversity arising from GAG class, sulfation and epimerization. The results exemplify the importance of gas- phase cryogenic IR spectroscopy to enhance future analytical workflows for GAG sequencing. A fully MS-based workflow could involve the ionization of an intact GAG chain and combine tandem MS with IM-MS and cryogenic IR spectroscopy of respective fragments to unambiguously characterize a GAG chain in a single MS experiment.In the last part, cryogenic IR spectroscopy was combined with random forest modelling to extract vibrational features that are characteristic to structural features in GAGs. The selected structural features included the GAG class and sulfation and therefore, almost fully characterize the underlying chemical structure. In a proof-of-concept study, a prediction score of >97% could be achieved for HS tetra- and hexasaccharides based on a training set of only 21 spectra. Especially for certain marker motifs, such as 3-O-sulfation in cancer cells, this workflow could prove beneficial. With machine learning algorithms, the need for comprehensive spectral databases could be circumvented for the identification of unknowns. Overall, the results show that MS-based IR spectroscopy certainly has the potential to leave the framework of academic basic research and add as a valuable addition to the MS-based analytical toolbox.Weinig voorkomende monosachariden (fucose), covalente modificaties van glycanen (sulfering) en terminale sequenties spelen belangrijke rollen in de fysiologie en pathologie van levende organismen. Weinig voorkomende structuren zijn in evolutionaire zin vaak het resultaat van selectiedruk en kunnen derhalve een dieper inzicht leveren in de evolutie van glycosylering. Gefucosyleerde glycanen en gesulfoneerde glycanen vormen echter nog steeds een uitdaging voor standaard workflows in glycaananalyse. Massaspectrometrie (MS) heeft zich in het laatste decennium ontwikkeld tot de meest gebruikte techniek voor glycaananalyse, maar is beperkt door de aanwezigheid van isomeren. Isomeren van glycanen zijn het gevolg van hun samenstelling, connectiviteit, configuratie en vertakking. MS wordt daarom vaak gekoppeld aan complementaire technieken zoals vloeistofchromatografie (LC) en ion- mobiliteitsspectrometrie (IM-MS). Gedurende de laatste jaren is de combinatie van cryogene infrarood (IR)-spectroscopie in de gasfase met MS van grote waarde gebleken voor de identificatie van kleinere glycanen. Bij lage meettemperaturen geeft het IR spectrum van kleine glycanen een unieke vingerafdruk van de onderliggende chemische structuur en conformatie.In dit proefschrift is cryogene IR-spectroscopie in combinatie met MS- gebaseerde analytische technieken gebruikt om licht te werpen op de migratie van fucose in MS-experimenten. Deze ongrijpbare migratiereactie is niet beperkt tot tandem MS workflows, maar is recentelijk ook waargenomen in intacte ionen zonder uitgebreide activering. De rol van het proton in fucose- migratiereacties is onderzocht voor de twee glycaanepitopen Lewis x en bloedgroep H type 2. In een systematische studie van adductie-ionen en functionele groepen met concurrerende protonaffiniteiten is aangetoond dat het proton selectief gemobiliseerd en gedemobiliseerd kan worden. Het meten van gefucosyleerde glycaan-kationen met MS vereist een effectieve strategie om de aanwezigheid van een mobiel proton te omzeilen om foutieve sequentie- toewijzingen te voorkomen.In een multidimensionele benadering zijn IR spectroscopie, IM-MS, radical- directed dissociation (RDD) MS en computationele modellering gecombineerd om het migratieproduct en het reactiemechanisme te ontcijferen. De trisachariden Lewis x en bloedgroep H type 2 blijken te migreren naar een chemische structuur, waarin fucose hoogstwaarschijnlijk 1,6-gekoppeld is aan galactose. De barriËre is veel hoger voor bloedgroep H type 2 dan voor Lewis x en het is goed mogelijk dat de laatste nooit in zijn oorspronkelijke chemische structuur gedetecteerd is in de massaspectrometer. Uit deze resultaten blijkt dat fucose-migratie een universeel probleem is in elke massaspectrometer en dat ook het gebruik van verschillende complementaire MS-gebaseerde technieken dit probleem niet geheel kan oplossen.In het tweede deel van dit proefschrift is cryogene IR spectroscopie in combinatie met computationele modellering gebruikt voor de structurele analyse van gesulfoneerde glycosaminoglycanen (GAG9s). De verscheidenheid in de chemische structuur van lineaire zure GAG9s komt voort uit de GAG klasse, sulfatie, epimerisatie en acetylatie. Met behulp van messenger tagging IR spectroscopie zijn recentelijk met succes gesulfoneerde mono- en disachariden gekarakteriseerd. In dit proefschrift is het anticoagulant pentasaccharide fondaparinux, dat acht sulfaatgroepen bevat, onderzocht met behulp van cryogene IR spectroscopie in helium nanodruppels om het werkingsprincipe van de meting aan te tonen. De spectroscopische vingerafdruk toont unieke absorptiebanden in het midden-IR bereik voor de sulfaatgroepen. Het meten van een systematische set van alle natuurlijk voorkomende sulfatievariaties in chondroÔtine- en dermatan-sulfaat (CS/DS) heeft de differentiatie mogelijkheden met behulp van cryogene IR spectroscopie verder aangetoond. Uit de IR-vingerafdruk in combinatie met computationele modellering kan bovendien conformationele diversiteit als gevolg van sulfatie en ladingsdichtheidsverdeling worden afgeleid. In een andere studie onthullen de IR-vingerafdrukken van vier heparansulfaat (HS) diastereomeren een modulariteit in hun chemische structuur die verklaard is met behulp van computationele modellering door hun unieke waterstofbrugpatronen. De kennis van het geprefereerde waterstofbindingspatroon zou bijvoorbeeld kunnen helpen bij de ontwikkeling van labelingstrategieÎn in IM-MS. De resultaten laten zien dat de hoge resolutie in de optische vingerafdrukken van GAG9s het mogelijk maakt om eenduidig de diversiteit op te lossen dievoortkomt uit GAG klasse, sulfatie en epimerisatie. De resultaten illustreren het belang van gas-fase cryogene IR spectroscopie om toekomstige analytische workflows voor GAG sequencing te verbeteren. Een volledig op MS gebaseerde workflow zou de ionisatie van een intacte GAG-keten kunnen omvatten en tandem MS met IM-MS en cryogene IR-spectroscopie van de respectieve fragmenten kunnen combineren om een GAG-keten eenduidig te karakteriseren in ÈÈn enkel MS-experiment.In het laatste deel van het proefschrift is cryogene IR-spectroscopie gecombineerd met random forest modellering om vibratie patronen die kenmerkend zijn voor structurele eigenschappen in GAG9s aan te tonen. De geselecteerde structurele eigenschappen omvatten de GAG-klasse en sulfatie en karakteriseren derhalve bijna volledig de onderliggende chemische structuur. In een proof-of-concept studie is een voorspellingsscore van >97% bereikt voor HS tetra- en hexasachariden op basis van een trainingsset van slechts 21 spectra. Vooral voor bepaalde markermotieven, zoals 3-O-sulfatie in kankercellen, zou deze workflow nuttig kunnen blijken. Met algoritmen voor machine learning zou de noodzaak voor het gebruik van uitgebreide spectrale databanken voor de identificatie van onbekende GAG9s kunnen worden omzeild. Concluderend kan gesteld worden dat de resultaten zoals beschreven in dit proefschrift aantonen dat IR-spectroscopie op basis van MS zeker het potentieel heeft om het stadium van het academisch basisonderzoek te verlaten en een waardevolle aanvulling vormt op MS gebaseerde analytische technieken

Single-Photon Imaging and Efficient Coupling to Single Plasmons

We demonstrate strong coupling of single photons emitted by individual molecules at cryogenic and ambient conditions to individual nanoparticles. We provide images obtained both in transmission and reflection, where an efficiency greater than 55% was achieved in converting incident narrow-band photons to plasmon-polaritons (plasmons) of a silver nanoparticle. Our work paves the way to spectroscopy and microscopy of nano-objects with sub-shot noise beams of light and to triggered generation of single plasmons and electrons in a well-controlled manner

Plate-height model of ion mobility-mass spectrometry

In the past decade, ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) in combination with mass spectrometry (IM-MS) became a widely employed technique for the separation and structural characterization of ionic species in the gas phase. Similarly to chromatography, where studies on the mechanism of band broadening and adequate plate-height equations have been aiding method development and promoting advancements in column technology, a suitable resolving power theory of drift tube ion mobility-mass spectrometry (DTIM-MS) is essential to stimulate further progress in this emerging field of separation science. In the present study, therefore, we explore dispersion processes in detail and present a plate-height model of ion mobility-mass spectrometry. We quantify the effects of five major dispersion processes that contribute to zone broadening and determine the resolving power in DTIM-MS: diffusion, Coulomb repulsion, electric field inhomogeneities, the finite initial spread of the ion cloud and dispersion outside the mobility cell. A solution is provided to account for the nonuniform separation field in IM-MS in the presence of multiple compartments. The equations – derived from first principles – serve as the basis for formulating an expression that is similar in nature to van Deemter's plate-height equation for chromatography. A comprehensive set of experiments was performed on a custom-built DTIM-MS instrument to evaluate the accuracy of the plate-height model, resulting in satisfactory agreement between experiment and theory. Building on these findings, the plate-height equation was employed to explore the influence of drift gas pressure, injection pulse-width and the mobility of ions on resolving power from a theoretical point of view. Our findings may aid instrument design and development in the future, as well as the optimization of measurement conditions to improve ion mobility separations. By employing the plate-height concept and the general formalism of differential migration processes to describe zone spreading in IM-MS, we aim to find a common ground between this emerging method and such well-established techniques as HPLC or CZE. We also hope that the work presented here will facilitate a broader acceptance of IMS as a separation method of great potential by the communities of chromatography and electrophoresis, as well as that of mass spectrometry

Plate-height model of ion mobility-mass spectrometry: Part 2-Peak-to-peak resolution and peak capacity

In a previous work, we explored zone broadening and the achievable plate numbers in linear drift tube ion mobility-mass spectrometry through developing a plate-height model [1]. On the basis of these findings, the present theoretical study extends the model by exploring peak-to-peak resolution and peak capacity in ion mobility separations. The first part provides a critical overview of chromatography-influenced resolution equations, including refinement of existing formulae. Furthermore, we present exact resolution equations for drift tube ion mobility spectrometry based on first principles. Upon implementing simple modifications, these exact formulae could be readily extended to traveling wave ion mobility separations and to cases when ion mobility spectrometry is coupled to mass spectrometry. The second part focuses on peak capacity. The well-known assumptions of constant plate number and constant peak width form the basis of existing approximate solutions. To overcome their limitations, an exact peak capacity equation is derived for drift tube ion mobility spectrometry. This exact solution is rooted in a suitable physical model of peak broadening, accounting for the finite injection pulse and subsequent diffusional spreading. By borrowing concepts from the theoretical toolbox of chromatography, we believe that the present study will help in integrating ion mobility spectrometry into the unified language of separation science

Mass Spectrometry-Based Techniques to Elucidate the Sugar Code

Cells encode information in the sequence of biopolymers, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and glycans. Although glycans are essential to all living organisms, surprisingly little is known about the “sugar code” and the biological roles of these molecules. The reason glycobiology lags behind its counterparts dealing with nucleic acids and proteins lies in the complexity of carbohydrate structures, which renders their analysis extremely challenging. Building blocks that may differ only in the configuration of a single stereocenter, combined with the vast possibilities to connect monosaccharide units, lead to an immense variety of isomers, which poses a formidable challenge to conventional mass spectrometry. In recent years, however, a combination of innovative ion activation methods, commercialization of ion mobility–mass spectrometry, progress in gas-phase ion spectroscopy, and advances in computational chemistry have led to a revolution in mass spectrometry-based glycan analysis. The present review focuses on the above techniques that expanded the traditional glycomics toolkit and provided spectacular insight into the structure of these fascinating biomolecules. To emphasize the specific challenges associated with them, major classes of mammalian glycans are discussed in separate sections. By doing so, we aim to put the spotlight on the most important element of glycobiology: the glycans themselves

Spectroscopy of Small and Large Biomolecular Ions in Helium-Nanodroplets

A vast number of experiments have now shown that helium nanodroplets are an exemplary cryogenic matrix for spectroscopic investigations. The experimental techniques are well established and involve in most cases the pickup of evaporated neutral species by helium droplets. These techniques have been extended within our research group to enable nanodroplet pickup of anions or cations stored in an ion trap. By using electrospray ionization (ESI) in combination with modern mass spec- trometric methods to supply ions to the trap, an immense variety of mass-to-charge selected species can be doped into the droplets and spectroscopically investigated. We have combined this droplet doping methodology with IR action spectroscopy to investigate anions and cations ranging in size from a few atoms to proteins that consist of thousands of atoms. Herein, we show examples of small complexes of fluoride anions (F-) with CO2 and H2O and carbohydrate molecules. In the case of the small complexes, novel compounds could be identified, and quantum chemistry can in some instances quantitatively explain the results. For biologically relevant complex carbohydrate molecules, the IR spectra are highly diagnostic and allow the differentiation of species that would be difficult or impossible to identify by more conventional methods

Chondroitin Sulfate Disaccharides in the Gas Phase: Differentiation and Conformational Constraints

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are a family of complex carbohydrates vital to all mammalian organisms and involved in numerous biological processes. Chondroitin and dermatan sulfate, an important class of GAGs, are linear macromolecules consisting of disaccharide building blocks of N-acetylgalactosamine and two different uronic acids. The varying degree and the site of sulfation render their characterization challenging. Here, we combine mass spectrometry with cryogenic infrared spectroscopy in the wavenumber range from 1000 to 1800 cm-1. Fingerprint spectra were recorded for a comprehensive set of disaccharides bearing all known motifs of sulfation. In addition, state-of-the-art quantum chemical calculations were performed to aid the understanding of the differences in the experimental fingerprint spectra. The results show that the degree and position of charged sulfate groups define the size of the conformational landscape in the gas phase. The detailed understanding of cryogenic infrared spectroscopy for acidic and often highly sulfated glycans may pave the way to utilize the technique in fragment-based sequencing approaches

Coatings Containing Functionalized Graphene Sheets and Articles Coated Therewith

Coatings are provided containing functionalized graphene sheets and at least one binder. In one embodiment, the coatings are electrically conductive

New challenges in studying nutrition-disease interactions in the developing world.

Latest estimates indicate that nutritional deficiencies account for 3 million child deaths each year in less-developed countries. Targeted nutritional interventions could therefore save millions of lives. However, such interventions require careful optimization to maximize benefit and avoid harm. Progress toward designing effective life-saving interventions is currently hampered by some serious gaps in our understanding of nutrient metabolism in humans. In this Personal Perspective, we highlight some of these gaps and make some proposals as to how improved research methods and technologies can be brought to bear on the problems of undernourished children in the developing world