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Fragmentation trees for the structural characterisation of metabolites
Author(s) -
Kasper Piotr T.,
RojasChertó Miguel,
Mistrik Robert,
Reijmers Theo,
Hankemeier Thomas,
Vreeken Rob J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.6340
Subject(s) - fragmentation (computing) , metabolomics , metabolite , mass spectrometry , robustness (evolution) , biological system , mass spectrum , computer science , chemistry , computational biology , chromatography , biology , biochemistry , gene , operating system
Metabolite identification plays a crucial role in the interpretation of metabolomics research results. Due to its sensitivity and widespread implementation, a favourite analytical method used in metabolomics is electrospray mass spectrometry. In this paper, we demonstrate our results in attempting to incorporate the potentials of multistage mass spectrometry into the metabolite identification routine. New software tools were developed and implemented which facilitate the analysis of multistage mass spectra and allow for efficient removal of spectral artefacts. The pre‐processed fragmentation patterns are saved as fragmentation trees. Fragmentation trees are characteristic of molecular structure. We demonstrate the reproducibility and robustness of the acquisition of such trees on a model compound. The specificity of fragmentation trees allows for distinguishing structural isomers, as shown on a pair of isomeric prostaglandins. This approach to the analysis of the multistage mass spectral characterisation of compounds is an important step towards formulating a generic metabolite identification method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.