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Related Concept Videos

Mass Spectrometry: Isotope Effect01:13

Mass Spectrometry: Isotope Effect

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Most elements exist in nature as a mixture of isotopes. The isotopes differ in weight due to their respective number of neutrons. The molecular weight of a molecule is different depending on the specific isotope of its elements involved. As a result, the mass spectrum of the molecule exhibits peaks from the same fragment at multiple positions. The positions of these mass signals depend on the difference between the molecular mass. Furthermore, the intensity of these signals is dependent on the...
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Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis01:21

Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis

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Mass spectrometry is an important technique for the identification of pure compounds. However, it has some limitations for the analysis of complex mixtures, often due to excessive fragmentation making the spectrum too complicated to decipher. Mass spectrometry can be combined with suitable separation methods in sequence, forming hyphenated methods, which are useful in the analysis of complex mixtures.
GC–MS is a powerful hyphenated method commonly used in forensics and environmental...
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Mass Spectrometry: Overview01:19

Mass Spectrometry: Overview

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Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique used to determine the molecular mass and molecular formula of a compound. The basic principle of mass spectrometry is to generate ions from the analyte molecule and measure these ion abundances against their molecular mass.  One common type of ionization, known as electrospray ionization or EI, bombards the analyte molecules in the gas phase with high-energy electron beams. The electron beams displace an electron from the molecule and leave...
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  11. Isotopic Labelling Analysis Using Single Cell Mass Spectrometry

Isotopic labelling analysis using single cell mass spectrometry

Anh Hai Vu1, Sarah E O'Connor1, Lorenzo Caputi1

  • 1Department of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena 07745, Germany. lcaputi@ice.mpg.de.

The Analyst
|September 5, 2025

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Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources
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Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources

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A Method for Measuring Metabolism in Sorted Subpopulations of Complex Cell Communities Using Stable Isotope Tracing
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A Method for Measuring Metabolism in Sorted Subpopulations of Complex Cell Communities Using Stable Isotope Tracing

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Applications of the Single-probe: Mass Spectrometry Imaging and Single Cell Analysis under Ambient Conditions
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Applications of the Single-probe: Mass Spectrometry Imaging and Single Cell Analysis under Ambient Conditions

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View abstract on PubMed

Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

We used single-cell mass spectrometry to track how plants synthesize specialized metabolites using labeled precursors. This technique reveals insights into metabolite production and movement within plant cells.

Area of Science:

  • Plant biology
  • Metabolomics
  • Analytical chemistry

Background:

  • Plant specialized metabolites are crucial for ecological interactions and have pharmaceutical potential.
  • Understanding their synthesis and transport at a cellular level is challenging.
  • Current methods often lack the resolution to track individual metabolite dynamics within single cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate the feasibility of using single-cell mass spectrometry for tracking metabolite synthesis.
  • To investigate the incorporation of stable-isotope labeled precursors into plant specialized metabolites at the single-cell level.
  • To explore the potential of this approach for studying metabolite dynamics and intercellular transport.

Main Methods:

  • Application of single-cell mass spectrometry.

Related Experiment Videos

Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources
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Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources

Published on: January 22, 2018

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A Method for Measuring Metabolism in Sorted Subpopulations of Complex Cell Communities Using Stable Isotope Tracing
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Applications of the Single-probe: Mass Spectrometry Imaging and Single Cell Analysis under Ambient Conditions

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  • Utilizing stable-isotope labeled precursors for tracing metabolic pathways.
  • Analysis of isotopically labeled compounds within individual plant cells.

    • Main Results:

    • Successfully tracked the incorporation of a labeled precursor into plant specialized metabolites within single cells.
    • Demonstrated the capability of single-cell mass spectrometry to resolve metabolic events at an unprecedented resolution.
    • Provided proof-of-concept for analyzing metabolite synthesis dynamics in a cellular context.

    Conclusions:

    • Single-cell mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for dissecting plant specialized metabolism.
    • This approach offers new avenues for studying the complex dynamics of metabolite production and transport.
    • Future applications could significantly advance our understanding of plant biochemistry and cell-to-cell communication.