MASS-SPECTROMETRIC IDENTIFICATION OF CYCLIC-NUCLEOTIDES RELEASED BY THE BACTERIUM CORYNEBACTERIUM-MURISEPTICUM INTO THE CULTURE-MEDIUM

Controversial earlier evidence exists that Corynebacterium murisepticu m secretes the cyclic nucleotides cytidine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and inosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate. The nucleotide components of e xtracts of the bacterial cells and of the culture medium were purified and identified by chromatographic behaviour, UV absorbance/pH profile , base-to-phosphate ratio, acid hydrolysis and by fast-atom bombardmen t mass spectrometry combined with collisionally induced dissociation/m ass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrum scanning. This provides unamb iguous identification of six cyclic nucleotides within the bacterial c ells and four released into the growth medium. The significance of the se findings and the potential future application of mass spectrometric methods in studies to elucidate the function of the released cyclic n ucleotides is discussed. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.