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Updated: Oct 29, 2025

Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Glycosphingolipid Antigens
Published on: April 16, 2013
Surface-assisted Laser Desorption/ionization Mass Spectrometry Analysis of the Glycolipid Biosurfactants,
Tokuma Fukuoka1, Sayaka Nakamura1, Tomotake Morita1
1Research Institute for Sustainable Chemistry, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).
Abstract:
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a promising tool for the screening of glycolipid-type biosurfactants (BSs) from a crude extract of microbial products. However, it is unsuitable for the detection of lower molecular weight products because the observed ions are overlapped with matrix-derived ions at lower mass range. In this study, we applied a "matrix-free" surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS) analysis using a through-hole alumina membrane as an ionization-assisting substrate. Using this method, we could detect a variety of lower molecular weight products in an extract of a glycolipid BS producer with good sensitivity. In addition, the culture solution could be analyzed directly by this method.
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