Tandem mass spectrometric analysis of bacterial lipid A of Aeromonas Salmonicida (SJ-112)

Abstract

This study will present an interpretation of the mass spectrometry gas-phase fragmentation patterns of the extracted Lipid A that is obtained from the native LPS extracts isolated from the marine Gram-negative bacteria Aeromonas Salmonicida (SJ-112). It is known that the surface antigen lipopolysaccarides (LPS) SJ-112 infect various fish species (Atlantic salmon and cod) which are cultivated in aquaculture ventures. The exact molecular structure of the Lipid A has not yet been precisely established. This thesis will present the mass spectrometric fingerprint identification and structural elucidation of the Lipid A from A. Salmonicida, which are carried out by using mass spectrometry techniques namely, electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) using an FT-ICR instrument and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS/MS) using a TOF/TOF instrument. The concomitant uses of high-energy (CID-MS/MS) and low-energy collision induced dissociation (CID-MS/MS) analysis were also used to elucidate the MS/MS fingerprints of this complex biomolecule and can be effectively used for any quantitative or qualitative studies.