Andrew R. S. Ross

The Molecular Cloning of Artemisinic Aldehyde Δ11(13) Reductase and Its Role in Glandular Trichome-dependent Biosynthesis of Artemisinin in Artemisia annua

At some point during biosynthesis of the antimalarial artemisinin in glandular trichomes of Artemisia annua, the Δ11(13) double bond originating in amorpha-4,11-diene is reduced. This is thought to occur in artemisinic aldehyde, but other intermediates have been suggested. In an effort to understand double bond reduction in artemisinin biosynthesis, extracts of A. annua flower buds were investigated and found to contain artemisinic aldehyde Δ11(13) double bond reductase activity. Through a combination of partial protein purification, mass spectrometry, and expressed sequence tag analysis, a cDNA clone corresponding to the enzyme was isolated. The corresponding gene Dbr2, encoding a member of the enoate reductase family with similarity to plant 12-oxophytodienoate reductases, was found to be highly expressed in glandular trichomes. Recombinant Dbr2 was subsequently characterized and shown to be relatively specific for artemisinic aldehyde and to have some activity on small α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. Expression in yeast of Dbr2 and genes encoding four other enzymes in the artemisinin pathway resulted in the accumulation of dihydroartemsinic acid. The relevance of Dbr2 to trichome-specific artemisinin biosynthesis is discussed.

Determination of dissolved metal species by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

The distribution of metal species in solution was determined using flow injection electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Complexes formed by selected metal ions with added organic ligands in 50:50 water/acetonitrile and 50:50 water/methanol under acidic, neutral, and basic conditions were detected using electrospray ionization conditions optimized to best represent solution-phase interactions. Metal species containing acetate, nitrate, and solvent molecules predominated in acidic solution but became less abundant at higher pH. Interactions between metal ions and added organic ligands became more selective with increasing pH, showing the expected preference of hard and soft ligands for metal ions of the corresponding type. Species distributions also tended toward larger complexes as pH increased. Overall ion yield was greater for aqueous acetonitrile than for aqueous methanol solutions; however, reduction of copper(II) in aqueous acetonitrile resulted in the detection of copper(I) complexes for certain ligands. Experimental results for copper(II) and 8-hydroxyquinoline in 50:50 water/methanol showed good agreement with aqueous speciation predicted using the thermodynamic equilibrium model MINEQL. Detection of neutral complexes was achieved by protonation, deprotonation, or electrochemical oxidation during electrospray.

Characterization of dissolved tannins and their metal-ion complexes by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Electrospray mass spectrometry was used to characterize metal-complexing ligands derived from tannic acid, a component of natural dissolved organic matter. Complexes formed by tannin ligands with copper and other biogeochemically important metals were identified from the mass-to-charge ratios of the corresponding deprotonated molecular ions, allowing stoichiometry and metal oxidation state to be determined. Ligand ion intensities were proportional to tannic acid concentration, with detection limits on the order of 5 nM for individual compounds in 50:50 water/acetonitrile. The relative abundance of free ligand and complex ions indicated the degree of complexation under different solution conditions (metal concentration, pH, ionic strength). Using tandem mass spectrometry, the structure and principal copper binding site for one of the tannins were also determined, providing unique information with regard to metal complexation by these polyfunctional ligands. The technique can be combined with high performance liquid chromatography for on-line separation of dissolved organic compounds. Results demonstrate the potential of this approach for characterizing the different classes of metal-complexing ligands found in natural waters.

Identification of Phosphoproteins in Arabidopsis thaliana Leaves Using Polyethylene Glycol Fractionation, Immobilized Metal-ion Affinity Chromatography, Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis and Mass Spectrometry

Reversible protein phosphorylation is a key regulatory mechanism in cells. Identification and characterization of phosphoproteins requires specialized enrichment methods, due to the relatively low abundance of these proteins, and is further complicated in plants by the high abundance of Rubisco in green tissues. We present a novel method for plant phosphoproteome analysis that depletes Rubisco using polyethylene glycol fractionation and utilizes immobilized metal-ion affinity chromatography to enrich phosphoproteins. Subsequent protein separation by one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis is further improved by extracting the PEG-fractionated protein samples with SDS/phenol and methanol/chloroform to remove interfering compounds. Using this approach, we identified 132 phosphorylated proteins in a partial Arabidopsis leaf extract. These proteins are involved in a range of biological processes, including CO(2) fixation, protein assembly and folding, stress response, redox regulation, and cellular metabolism. Both large and small subunits of Rubisco were phosphorylated at multiple sites, and depletion of Rubisco enhanced detection of less abundant phosphoproteins, including those associated with state transitions between photosystems I and II. The discovery of a phosphorylated form of AtGRP7, a self-regulating RNA-binding protein that affects floral transition, as well as several previously uncharacterized ribosomal proteins confirm the utility of this approach for phosphoproteome analysis and its potential to increase our understanding of growth and development in plants.

Characterization of copper-complexing ligands in seawater using immobilized copper(II)-ion affinity chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry ☆

Abstract Electrochemical studies show that copper and other bioactive trace metals are associated almost exclusively with dissolved organic ligands in surface seawater. Some of these ligands may be released by photosynthetic marine organisms to control metal uptake. However, new analytical approaches are needed to determine the chemical composition and ecological significance of these compounds. We have combined immobilized metal-ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) to selectively extract and characterize copper-complexing ligands in seawater. Samples taken from British Columbia coastal waters were filtered through mixed cellulose membranes (0.45 μm) using nitrogen overpressure. Compounds with an affinity for copper were then extracted using Cu(II)-IMAC and eluted in acidified seawater. The eluant was monitored using UV absorption (255 nm), which showed that IMAC extracts from river and surface waters contained the highest concentrations of UV-absorbing organic matter. Fractions were collected and analyzed by flow-injection (FI) negative ion ESI-MS using a custom made XAD-16 column, which gave 82% recovery and a detection limit of 1.6 pmol for salicylic acid in acidified seawater. Low-molecular-weight compounds containing nitrogen were detected in the IMAC extracts of highest UV absorbance. These compounds followed an elution profile similar to the corresponding UV chromatogram. Measured masses of 265 and 259 Da are consistent with peptides containing, respectively, one thiol and two primary amino groups, characteristics associated with copper-complexing ligands detected in marine algal cultures and surface seawater using other methods. However, the absence of positive ions under experimental conditions suggests that the extracted compounds are predominantly acidic, and may therefore be hydroxamic acids or other nitrogen-containing compounds. The use of alternative resins and FI solvents to improve recovery, increase ionization efficiency, and permit structural (MS/MS) analysis of compounds extracted by IMAC is now being investigated.

Electrospray ionization of alkali and alkaline earth metal species. Electrochemical oxidation and pH effects

The utility of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) for characterizing dissolved metal species has generated considerable interest in the use of this technique for metal speciation. However, the development of accurate speciation methods based on ESI-MS requires a detailed understanding of the mechanisms by which dissolved metal species are ionized during electrospray. We report how the analysis of alkali and alkaline earth metal species provides new information about some of the processes that affect electrospray ion yield. Selected metal ions and organic ligands were combined in 50 : 50 water-acetonitrile buffered with acetic acid or ammonium acetate and analyzed by flow injection ESI-MS using mild electrospray conditions. Species formed by alkali metal ions with thiol and oxygen-donating ligands were detected in acidic and neutral pH solutions. Electrochemical oxidation of N, N-diethyldithiocarbamate and glutathione during electrospray was indicated by detection of the corresponding disulfides as protonated or alkali metal species. The extent of ligand oxidation depended on solution pH and the dissociation constant of the thiol group. Tandem mass spectrometric experiments suggested that radical cations such as [NaL](+.) (where L=N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate) can be generated by in-source fragmentation of disulfide species. Greater complexation of alkali metals at neutral pH was indicated by a corresponding decrease in the relative abundance of the free metal ion. The number of alkali metal ions bound by glutathione and phthalic acid also increased with increasing pH, in accordance with thermodynamic equilibrium theory. Alkaline earth metal species were detected only in acidic solutions, the absence of 8-hydroxyquinoline complexes being attributed to their relative instability and subsequent dissociation during electrospray. Hence, accurate speciation by ESI-MS depends on experimental conditions and the intrinsic properties of each analyte. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.