Ryszard Lobinski

Metallomics: the concept and methodology

The emerging field of metallomics refers to the entirety of research activities aimed at the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of metal-dependent life processes. This critical review discusses the concept of metallomics with a focus on analytical techniques and methods for the probing of interactions between metal ions and the organisms genome and the derived -omes: proteome and metabolome. Particular attention is paid to the in vivo screening for the native metal-protein and metal-metabolite complexes by hyphenated techniques that combine a high-resolution separation technique (gel electrophoresis, chromatography or capillary electrophoresis) with sensitive elemental (inductively coupled plasma, ICP) or molecular (electrospray or MALDI) mass spectrometric detection. The contribution of bioinformatics to the prediction of metal-binding sequences in proteins and the role of molecular biology approaches for the detection of metal-dependent genes, proteins and metabolites are highlighted (115 references).

Species-selective determination of selenium compounds in biological materials: (technical report).

There is substantial evidence of the complexity of selenium speciation in living organisms and of the importance of the selective determination of the particular species of this element in order to understand its metabolism and biological significance in clinical chemistry, biology, toxicology, and nutrition. The state-of-the-art of analytical techniques available for this purpose is critically evaluated with particular emphasis on the element-selective detection and identification of the detected selenium compounds. Whereas there are a number of techniques available that are able to detect various selenium species in living organisms selectively, few techniques exist that are able to identify and to characterize the species detected.

Precise determination of the strontium isotope ratios in wine by inductively coupled plasma sector field multicollector mass spectrometry (ICP-SF-MC-MS)

The 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio of wine reflects that of the soil on which the vine is grown and is characteristic of the geographical origin of wine. A method based on ICP-MS using a sector field mass analyser with a multicollector able to reach the precision required for the discrimination of different wines (<0.005%) was developed. Strontium was separated from Rb (to avoid the 87Sr/87Rb isobaric interference) and the Sr-rich fraction was nebulized into the ICP. Precision values of 0.002–0.003% were routinely measured. The accuracy of the method, evaluated by analysis of the NIST SRM 987 (SrCO3, isotopic), was 0.02%. The analysis of 11 wines of different origins showed a clear difference between wines produced on basaltic, mixed and granitic soil areas.

Gas chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection in speciation analysis

Abstract The state-of-the-art of gas chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC-ICP MS) is comprehensively reviewed. Particular attention is given to the recent advances in ICP MS detection including: GC-ICP interface designs; low power plasmas; and alternative mass analyzers (time-of-flight, double-focussing single collector, double-focussing and collision cell single-focussing multicollectors). On the level of sample preparation for speciation analysis by GC-ICP MS, new derivatization reagents and advances in extraction techniques, such as capillary purge-and-trap, solid phase microextraction and stirbar solid phase extraction are discussed. The increasing role of organometallic species labeled with stable isotopes for the detection of sources of errors during sample preparation and for isotope dilution quantification is highlighted. Applications of GC-ICP MS to the analysis of real-world samples are summarized with a focus on the areas which particularly benefit from the high ICP MS detection sensitivity and tolerance to sample matrix.

Metallobiomolecules. The basis of life, the challenge of atomic spectroscopy

An outline of recent advances in metalloproteomics (structural and functional characterization of metal-binding proteins and their structural metal-binding moieties) and metallomics (characterization of the entirety of metal and metalloid species within a cell or tissue type) is presented. ICP-MS allows the specific detection of heteroelements after separation using techniques traditionally associated with biochemistry, such as gel electrophoresis or capillary chromatography. The element specificity, independence of matrix effects, and wide linear range make ICP-MS an attractive complementary technique to ESI/MALDI-MS for the analysis of sulfur-, selenium- and phosphorus-containing proteins, metal-complexes with nucleic acids, carbohydrates and proteins, and metal-tagged biomolecules in general.

Reactivity of anticancer metallodrugs with serum proteins: new insights from size exclusion chromatography-ICP-MS and ESI-MS

A method based on the coupling of high resolution size-exclusion liquid chromatography using a polymer stationary phase with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was developed to study the interactions of two metallodrugs - cisplatin and RAPTA-T - with the serum proteins albumin and transferrin. In contrast to previous approaches, the technique allowed the total recovery of the metals from the column and was able to discriminate between the different species of the metallodrugs and their complexes with the proteins at femtomolar detection levels. Metal binding was found to be dependent on the protein concentration and on the incubation time of the sample. Cisplatin was found to bind the serum proteins to the same extent, whereas RAPTA-T showed marked preference for transferrin. The affinity of the ruthenium complex for holo-transferrin was higher than for the apo-form suggesting a cooperative iron-mediated metal binding mechanism. RAPTA-T binding to holo-transferrin was further investigated by electrospray mass spectrometry using both the intact protein and a model peptide mimicking the iron-binding pocket.

Metal imaging in non-denaturating 2D electrophoresis gels by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for the detection of metalloproteins

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was developed as a powerful analytical technique for metal imaging of 2D gels for the detection of metalloproteins in rat kidney after electrophoretic separation. Protein complexes, extracted with water, were separated in their native state in the first and second dimension by blue native gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE). Essential and toxic metals, such as zinc, copper, iron, manganese and lead, were monitored by LA-ICP-MS after gel ablation by a focused laser beam in a way that the total surface of a selected fragment of the gel was totally ablated. The metal distribution of this part of the gel was then constructed by plotting the metal (isotope) signal intensity as a function of the x,y (isoelectric point, molecular mass) coordinates of the gel. The proteins at locations rich in metals were cut out, digested with trypsin and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS).

Speciation of seleno compounds in yeast aqueous extracts by three-dimensional liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric and electrospray mass spectrometric detection

A three-dimensional liquid chromatographic purification protocol based on sequential size-exclusion, anion-exchange and cation-exchange separation mechanisms was developed for the mapping of seleno compounds in aqueous yeast extracts. The method allowed the demonstration of the presence of more than 30 different seleno compounds. Semi-preparative size-exclusion and anion-exchange chromatography were optimized for maximum resolution using electrospray-compatible buffers in order to purify the compounds for mass spectrometric analysis. Molecular masses were attributed to many of the compounds on the basis of the selenium isotopic pattern in the electrospray mass spectra and of the collision-induced fragmentation patterns. Limitations preventing the ultimate identification of the selenium species detected are discussed.

Analysis of metal-binding proteins separated by non-denaturating gel electrophoresis using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) have become established as very efficient and sensitive biopolymer and elemental mass spectrometric techniques for studying metal-binding proteins (metalloproteins) in life sciences. Protein complexes present in rat tissues (liver and kidney) were separated in their native state in the first dimension by blue native gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE). Essential and toxic metals, such as zinc, copper, iron, nickel, chromium, cadmium and lead, were detected by scanning the gel bands using quadrupole LA-ICP-MS with and without collision cell as a microanalytical technique. Several proteins were identified by using MALDI-TOF-MS together with a database search. For example, on one protein band cut from the BN-PAGE gel and digested with the enzyme trypsin, two different proteins - protein FAM44B and cathepsin B precursor - were identified. By combining biomolecular and elemental mass spectrometry, it was possible to characterize and identify selected metal-binding rat liver and kidney tissue proteins.

Evaluation of the accuracy of the determination of lead isotope ratios in wine by ICP MS using quadrupole, multicollector magnetic sector and time-of-flight analyzers

Different mass analysers [(quadrupole (Q), time-of-flight (TOF) and multicollector (MC) sector-field (SF)] of ions produced in an inductively coupled plasma were evaluated for the determination of lead isotope ratios in wine samples. A population of 20 wines of different origin including two reference wines from the EC Standards, Measurement and Testing Programme with concentrations varying between 7-140 mug Pb l(-1) was investigated. Wines were analyzed directly by Q ICP MS and MC ICP MS. The poor sensitivity of the TOF instrument, further aggravated by matrix signal suppression, did not allow the acquisition of data for wine samples that contained less than 50 mug l(-1) in the direct sample introduction mode. The separation and preconcentration of lead were therefore required. The precision obtained for the (206)Pb/(207)Pb and (208)Pb/(206)Pb were similar and equal to 0.14-2.7% for Q ICP MS, 0.04-0.17% for TOF ICP MS and 0.01-0.12% for MC ICP MS. The precision for (206)Pb/(204)Pb was 0.44-5.29, 0.15-1.7, 0.08-1.6%, respectively. On the level of accuracy, the data from TOF ICP MS and MC ICP MS were in good agreement. The accuracy of Q ICP MS data was judged satisfactory in comparison with the other techniques but their poor precision was a significant obstacle on the way of using these data for the determination of the geographic origin of wine.