Hyphenation of liquid chromatography to ion trap mass spectrometry to identify minor components in polypeptide antibiotics

Anal Bioanal Chem. 2003 Nov;377(5):909-21. doi: 10.1007/s00216-003-2173-x. Epub 2003 Aug 30.

Abstract

The application of liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry for the characterization of linear and cyclic polypeptide antibiotics was investigated. The aim was on-line identification of impurities in those antibiotic complexes without recourse to time-consuming isolation and purification procedures. Hyphenated techniques, such as liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, are ideally suited for this purpose. Characterization was performed with an ion trap mass spectrometer offering MS(n) capability; this enables more structural information to be obtained. Liquid chromatography in combination with ion trap mass spectrometry was successfully applied for the characterization of impurities in gramicidin, polymyxin B, polymyxin E, and bacitracin and the study of the degradation products of polymyxins B and E.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / analysis*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Bacitracin / analysis
  • Bacitracin / chemistry
  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods*
  • Colistin / analysis
  • Colistin / chemistry
  • Gramicidin / analysis
  • Gramicidin / chemistry
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Polymyxins / analysis
  • Polymyxins / chemistry
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Polymyxins
  • Bacitracin
  • Gramicidin
  • Colistin