Acylated glucosinolates with diverse acyl groups investigated by high resolution mass spectrometry and infrared multiphoton dissociation

Giuliana Bianco, Niels Agerbirk, Ilario Losito, Tommaso R.I. Cataldi

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

With the aim of developing a procedure for detecting and identifying intact acylated glucosinolates (a-GLSs) found in trace quantities in natural plant samples, extracts of Barbarea vulgaris seeds were analyzed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (RPLC-ESI FTICR MS). After a preliminary optimization of fragmentation conditions, based on a non-acylated parent glucosinolate (glucobarbarin) and three previously identified a-GLSs (the 6′-isoferuloyl esters of glucobarbarin, gluconasturtiin and glucobrassicin), infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) was employed for a tandem MS-based elucidation of the molecular structures of novel a-GLSs. As a result, three acylated derivatives of glucobarbarin, esterified at the thioglucose moiety with a coumaric acid isomer, sinapic acid or an isomer and a dimethoxycinnamic acid isomer, were identified. In addition, a further acylated glucosinolate was tentatively identified as the isoferuloyl ester of an unidentified hydroxylic derivative of glucobarbarin. This is the first demonstration of diversity in the acyl moieties of thioglucose-acylated glucosinolates, which may reflect the substrate specificity of the endogenous acyl transferase. As expected, 6′-isoferuloyl-glucobarbarin was detected as the main acylated GLS in extracts of B. vulgaris seeds. A quantitative estimate suggested that non-isoferuloyl substituted glucobarbarins correspond to ca. 0.026% of the level of 6′-isoferuloyl glucobarbarin. The formation of an uncommon distonic radical anion, most likely generated in the gas phase upon methyl radical (CH3) loss from the isoferuloyl anion, is demonstrated.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPhytochemistry
Volume100
Pages (from-to)92-102
Number of pages11
ISSN0031-9422
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2014

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