Mass Spectrometry of Nucleosides And Nucleic Acids

Assembling the work of an international panel of researchers, Mass Spectrometry of Nucleosides and Nucleic Acids summarizes and reviews the latest developments in the field and provides a window on the next generation of analysis. Beginning with an overview of recent developments, the book highlights the most popular ionization methods and illustrates the diversity of strategies employed in the characterization and sequencing of DNA and RNA oligomers, nucleosides, nucleotides, and adducts. It describes studies performed on deoxyinosine and its analogues and provides an introduction to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS).

Next, the contributors examine mass spectrometric application in the study of cyclic nucleotides in biochemical signal transduction. They analyze urinary modified nucleosides and explore DNA adducts. They discuss isotope labeling of DNA-mass spectrometry (ILD-MS) and examine various uses of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The book reviews recent progress in the direct MS characterization of noncovalent nucleic acid-protein complexes, explores the interaction and ionization of guanidine-derived compounds with highly acidic biomolecules, and examines quantitative identification of nucleic acids via signature digestion products detected using mass spectrometry.

The book describes a direct-infusion ESI-MS approach that can serve as a screening technique for the presence of modified nucleosides from small RNAs. Lastly, it discusses the LC-MS/MS method for the in vitro replication studies on damage-containing DNA substrates, and concludes with an examination of the influence of metal ions on the structure and reactivity of nucleic acids.

The exciting developments in mass spectrometry technology have fueled incredible advances in our understanding of nucleic acids and their complexes. The contributions presented in this volume capture the range of these advances, helping to inspire new findings and avenues of research.

Joseph H. Banoub is a principal scientist and head of the special projects at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Science Branch. He has been an adjunctprofessor of biochemistry at Memorial University of Newfoundland since 1984 and an adjunct professor of chemistry since 2006. His present research interests include the uses of tandem mass spectrometry for the structural elucidation of biologically active molecules. Patrick A. Limbach is a professor of chemistry and department head at the University of Cincinnati. His research interests include the development of new mass spectrometry methods for analyzing RNAs, the identification of unknown modified nucleosides, the characterization of RNA–protein complexes, and investigating the role of modified nucleosides in biological systems.