Hydroxyproline interference during the gas chromatographic analysis of D/L aspartic acid in human dentine

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hydroxyproline interference during the gas chromatographic analysis of D/L aspartic acid in human dentine

AU - Waite, E. R.

AU - Collins, M. J.

AU - Van Duin, A. C.T.

PY - 1999/1/1

Y1 - 1999/1/1

N2 - The proportion of D- to L-enantiomers of aspartic acid in metabolically isolated proteins has been used by forensic scientists to estimate age at death. We have demonstrated the interference of a derivative of hydroxyproline (N-TFA isopropyl Hyp ester) with the NTFA isopropyl L-Aspartic (Asp) acid ester during gas chromatography of amino acids. This has serious implications for the accurate quantification of the D- to L-Asp ratio extracted from collagenous proteins. Having demonstrated the potential for this co-elution in amino acid standards, acid-soluble dentine proteins and non-mineralised collagen, we argue that this problem can be overcome either by high resolution separation or by analysis of the (Hyp-poor) non- collagenous protein fraction.

AB - The proportion of D- to L-enantiomers of aspartic acid in metabolically isolated proteins has been used by forensic scientists to estimate age at death. We have demonstrated the interference of a derivative of hydroxyproline (N-TFA isopropyl Hyp ester) with the NTFA isopropyl L-Aspartic (Asp) acid ester during gas chromatography of amino acids. This has serious implications for the accurate quantification of the D- to L-Asp ratio extracted from collagenous proteins. Having demonstrated the potential for this co-elution in amino acid standards, acid-soluble dentine proteins and non-mineralised collagen, we argue that this problem can be overcome either by high resolution separation or by analysis of the (Hyp-poor) non- collagenous protein fraction.

KW - Collagen

KW - D/L Aspartic acid

KW - Gas chromatography

KW - Hydroxyproline

KW - N-TFA isopropyl ester derivatives

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033059919&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s004140050214

DO - 10.1007/s004140050214

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 10048671

AN - SCOPUS:0033059919

SN - 0937-9827

VL - 112

SP - 124

EP - 131

JO - International Journal of Legal Medicine

JF - International Journal of Legal Medicine

IS - 2

ER -