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Identification of Microalgae by Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Coupled with Multiple Nanomatrices

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Abstract

In this study, we demonstrate a simple method to identify microalgae by surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS) using three different substrates: HgSe, HgTe, and HgTeSe nanostructures. The fragmentation/ionization processes of complex molecules in algae varied according to the heat absorption and transfer efficiency of the nanostructured matrices (NMs). Therefore, the mass spectra obtained for microalgae showed different patterns of m/z values for different NMs. The spectra contained both significant and nonsignificant peaks. Constructing a Venn diagram with the significant peaks obtained for algae when using HgSe, HgTe, and HgTeSe NMs in m/z ratio range 100–1000, a unique relationship among the three sets of values was obtained. This unique relationship of sets is different for each species of microalgae. Therefore, by observing the particular relationship of sets, we successfully identified different algae such as Isochrysis galbana, Emiliania huxleyi, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Nannochloris sp., Skeletonema cf. costatum, and Tetraselmis chui. This simple and cost-effective SALDI-MS analysis method coupled with multi-nanomaterials as substrates may be extended to identify other microalgae and microorganisms in real samples.

Identification of microalgae by surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry coupled with three different mercury-based nanosubstrates

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan under contracts 104-2113-M-143-001, 104-2628-M-019-001-MY3, 103-2627-M-007-002-MY3, and 102-2113-M-019-001-MY3. The assistance of Ms. Ya-Yun Yang and Ms. Ching-Yen Lin from the Instrument Center of National Taiwan University (NTU) for TEM measurement is appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, 2, Pei-Ning Road, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan

    Lung-Hsiang Peng, Binesh Unnikrishnan, Tung-Ming Hsiung, Pang-Hung Hsu & Chih-Ching Huang

  2. Institute of Marine Biology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan

    Chi-Yu Shih & Jeng Chang

  3. Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan

    Jeng Chang & Chih-Ching Huang

  4. Institute of Marine Environmental Chemistry and Ecology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan

    Jeng Chang

  5. Department of Applied Science, National Taitung University, 369, Sec. 2, University Rd., Taitung, 95092, Taiwan

    Tai-Chia Chiu

  6. School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Chih-Ching Huang

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  1. Lung-Hsiang Peng
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  2. Binesh Unnikrishnan
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  5. Jeng Chang
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  7. Tai-Chia Chiu
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Correspondence to Tai-Chia Chiu or Chih-Ching Huang.

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Peng, LH., Unnikrishnan, B., Shih, CY. et al. Identification of Microalgae by Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Coupled with Multiple Nanomatrices. Mar Biotechnol 18, 283–292 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-016-9685-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-016-9685-9

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