DIRECT MASS-SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF GLYCOSPHINGOLIPID TRANSFERRED TO A POLYVINYLIDENE DIFLUORIDE MEMBRANE BY THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY BLOTTING

A simple, rapid method for the analysis of glycosphingolipid that comb ines ''thin-layer chromatography (TLC) blotting'' and mass spectrometr y is reported, Glycosphingolipids developed by TLC were transferred to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane by TLC blotting, after which the glycosphingolipid band on the membrane was excised and placed on a ma ss spectrometer probe tip, and a few microliters of triethanolamine wa s added as the matrix, The sample was analyzed by secondary ion mass s pectrometry, About 1 mu g of glycosphingolipid subjected to TLC can be analyzed, The major advantage of this method is that glycosphingolipi d can be analyzed structurally without purification by repeated column chromatography. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.