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Lipids in Photosynthesis pp 445–461Cite as

Advanced Mass Spectrometry Methods for Analysis of Lipids from Photosynthetic Organisms

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Part of the book series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration ((AIPH,volume 30))

Summary

The analysis of lipids is technically very challenging, not only due to the large number of various classes of compounds provided by the cell, but also due to the enormous heterogeneity of these various classes. Especially plants with their large pigment content and their high degree of polyunsaturated acyl residues make lipid analysis in this system even more complicated. Due to this high complexity, more and more sophisticated large-scale lipid-analysis systems have been developed, intended for the analysis of the so-called “lipidome”, that is the entire lipid composition of a cell or a whole organism. These methods often consist of various building blocks, which show interlaced modularity. The two basic elements of a lipidomic analysis are an efficient extraction procedure and a sensitive detection system. In addition to these two basic elements, depending on the analytical question, additional separation and sample purification procedures can be introduced. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques are at the forefront of lipidomic analysis. These extremely sensitive and accurate detection methods are applied to investigate all kinds of lipid. Their application, in combination with various plant-specific techniques of extraction and separation, including solid-phase extraction, thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography are presented in this chapter. Most of the MS-based technologies for lipid profiling of partially polar lipids rely on electrospray ionization, while more apolar lipids, like sterols, can be ionized by techniques, such as atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. A number of various applications employing these mass spectrometric methods will be discussed. Finally combinations of various separation and detection technologies, so-called hyphenated approaches, such as high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry or gas chromatography coupled to time of flight or quad-rupole mass spectrometry, are introduced and their suitability for lipid analysis are discussed.

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Abbreviations

ASG:

Acetylated steryl glycosides

APCI:

Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

APPI:

Atmospheric pressure photoionization

CAD:

Charged aerosol detector

Cer:

Ceramide

DGTA:

Diacylglyceryl-hydroxymethyltrimethylalanine

DGTS:

Diacylglyceryltri-methylhomoserine

DGDG:

Digalactosyl diacylglycerol

ESI:

Electrospray ionization

ELSD:

Evaporative light scattering detector

FID:

Flame ionization detection

GC:

Gas chro-matography

GlcCer:

Glycosyl ceramide

GIPC:

Glycosyl inositol phosphatidyl ceramide

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

LCB:

Long-chain base

MS:

Mass spectrometry

MALDI:

Matrix assisted laser desorption ioni-zation

MGDG:

Monogalactosyl diacylglycerol

NPLC:

Normal phase liquid chromatography

PA:

Phosphatidic acid

PC:

Phosphatidylcholine

PE:

Phosphatidylethanolamine

PG:

Phosphatidylglycerol

PI:

Phosphatidylinositol

PS:

Phos-phatidylserine

RPLC:

Reversed-phase liquid chromatogra-phy

SPE:

Solid phase extraction

SG:

Steryl glycosides

SQDG:

Sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol

TLC:

Thin-layer chromatography

UV:

Ultraviolet

X:Y:

X number of carbon atoms and Y number of double bonds

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Wissenschaftspark Golm, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam-Golm, 14476, Germany

    Bettina Seiwert, Patrick Giavalisco & Lothar Willmitzer

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  1. Bettina Seiwert
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  2. Patrick Giavalisco
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  3. Lothar Willmitzer
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Correspondence to Lothar Willmitzer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Science, University of Tokyo, Japan

    Hajime Wada

  2. National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan

    Norio Murata

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Seiwert, B., Giavalisco, P., Willmitzer, L. (2009). Advanced Mass Spectrometry Methods for Analysis of Lipids from Photosynthetic Organisms. In: Wada, H., Murata, N. (eds) Lipids in Photosynthesis. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, vol 30. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2863-1_20

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