Analysis of glycolysis metabolites by capillary zone electrophoresis with indirect UV detection

The glycolysis metabolites glucose 6-phosphate (G6-P), fructose 6-phosphate (F6-P), fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (F1,6-BP), fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (F2,6-BP), glyceraldehyde phosphate (GAP), dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP), phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), pyruvate, and lactate were analyzed by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with indirect UV detection. The chromophores phthalic acid, sorbic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid were studied as background electrolytes. Both detection sensitivity and resolution were found to depend on the pH and the concentration of the carrier electrolyte. Optimum separation and detection of the phosphate compounds were accomplished upon reversal of electroendosmotic flow (EOF) with OFM Anion-BT (Waters Corp., Milford, MA) at a concentration of 4-6 mM 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, pH 11.6-12.0, with the detection wave-length set at 280 nm. The highly alkaline pH allowed the successful separation of the isomers F6-P and G6-P, as well as F1,6-BP and F2,6-BP, respectively. The effect of sample ionic strength on the detection limits of G6-P, F6-P, F1,6-BP, and F2,6-BP was also investigated: These limits ranged from 1 to 3 microM in both low- and high-ionic-strength samples. However, high Mg2+ concentrations in the sample led to a progressive loss of resolution between F1,6-BP and F2,6-BP, unless the inlet reservoir was replenished with fresh electrolyte after every injection. Linearity of detection was observed over one to two orders of magnitude.