Inventory of metal complexes circulating in plant fluids: a reliable method based on HPLC coupled with dual elemental and high-resolution molecular mass spectrometric detection
Journal
New Phytologist
Journal Volume
211
Journal Volume
211
Journal Issue
3
Journal Issue
3
Pages
1129
Start Page
1129
End Page
1141
ISSN
0028646X
Date Issued
2016-08-01
Author(s)
Abstract
Description of metal species in plant fluids such as xylem, phloem or related saps remains a complex challenge usually addressed either by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, X-ray analysis or computational prediction. To date, none of these techniques has achieved a complete and true picture of metal-containing species in plant fluids, especially for the least concentrated complexes. Here, we present a generic analytical methodology for a large-scale (> 10 metals, > 50 metal complexes) detection, identification and semiquantitative determination of metal complexes in the xylem and embryo sac liquid of the green pea, Pisum sativum. The procedure is based on direct injection using hydrophilic interaction chromatography with dual detection by elemental (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) and molecular (high-resolution electrospray mass spectrometry) mass spectrometric detection. Numerous and novel complexes of iron(II), iron(III), copper(II), zinc, manganese, cobalt(II), cobalt(III), magnesium, calcium, nickel and molybdenum(IV) with several ligands including nicotianamine, citrate, malate, histidine, glutamine, aspartic acid, asparagine, phenylalanine and others are observed in pea fluids and discussed. This methodology provides a large inventory of various types of metal complexes, which is a significant asset for future biochemical and genetic studies into metal transport/homeostasis.
Subjects
embryo sac liquid
hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC)
mass spectrometry
metal complexes
metal speciation
nicotianamine (NA)
Pisum sativum
xylem
Publisher
Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Type
journal article