METHODS : Enrichment of metabolites with chemical probes
A general strategy for enriching various classes of metabolites directly from biological samples is described.The method allows researchers to profile small molecule metabolites that are difficult to detect with more conventional discovery-based methods.
The proteomics community has greatly benefited from chemical enrichment methods allowing the targeted isolation of proteins with similar functional or structural properties. The ‘metabolome,’ or entire spectrum of small molecules found in an organism, is even greater than the proteome in terms of numbers and chemical complexity. Benjamin Cravatt and colleagues reasoned that metabolomics researchers would therefore also benefit from targeted chemical enrichment strategies.
The authors synthesized chemical probes to target specific functional groups on small molecules. The probes were attached to a solid bead for easy isolation of the captured small molecules. The captured metabolites were then released from the probe and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. They demonstrated that the method was able to isolate and profile low mass and polar small molecules, which are usually missed with conventional analysis without enrichment.
Author contact:
Benjamin Cravatt (The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA)
Tel: +1 858 784 8633; E-mail: cravatt@scripps.edu
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Monday, April 09, 2007
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