IDENTIFICATION OF VERTEBRATE TYPE STEROID-HORMONES IN THE SHRIMP PENAEUS-JAPONICUS BY TANDEM MASS-SPECTROMETRY AND SEQUENTIAL PRODUCT ION-SCANNING

The identification of testosterone, pregnelonone, and 17 alpha-hydroxy progesterone by tandem mass spectrometry and of progesterone by sequen tial product ion scanning in the shrimp gonads of Penaeus japonicus is described. The identification of these substances in biological sampl es is usually done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and involve s several liquid chromotographic purification steps followed by deriva tization. The utilization of tandem mass spectrometry in this analysis has simplified considerably the sample pretreatment and provided a ve ry simple method of screening these substances in complex mixtures. (C ) 1997 American Society for Mass Spectrometry.