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MALDI-TOF MS analysis of the extracellular polysaccharides released by the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana

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Abstract

The extracellular polysaccharides (ECPS) released by diatoms have significant roles in marine ecosystems and have potential applications including drug-discovery and biopharmaceutical precursors. In this study, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technology was used in the structural analysis of the ECPS released by Thalassiosira pseudonana (Bacillariophyta). Three different deproteinization methods, the Sevag method, the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) method, and the enzymolysis method, were compared in the purification of ECPS. Our results suggested that TCA was the best deproteinization method among the three methods for subsequent MALDI-TOF MS investigation because of its high ECPS yield, protein removal ability and reliable MALDI-TOF MS fingerprint. The degree of polymerization (d.p.) profiles, the molecular weight of the ECPS and the distribution pattern of the polymers with different molecular mass were described from the MALDI-TOF MS spectra. This work represents the whole-level composition of the ECPS released by the diatom and has improved our knowledge of the structural characterization of ECPS.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant numbers 40876079, 41076080, the national 973 project under grant number 2011CB200901, the Fujian Province Science Fund for Distinguished University Young Scholars (Grant No. JA10001), and the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province of China under grant number 2008J0139. The authors wish to thank Dr. Xinyue Peng for his suggestions on preparing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China

    Jun-Rong Liang, Xin-Xin Ai, Ya-Hui Gao & Chang-Ping Chen

  2. Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China

    Jun-Rong Liang & Chang-Ping Chen

  3. State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China

    Ya-Hui Gao

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  1. Jun-Rong Liang
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  2. Xin-Xin Ai
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Correspondence to Jun-Rong Liang.

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Liang, JR., Ai, XX., Gao, YH. et al. MALDI-TOF MS analysis of the extracellular polysaccharides released by the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana . J Appl Phycol 25, 477–484 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-012-9881-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-012-9881-6

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