Structural characterization of gangliosides isolated from mullet milt using electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry has been used in conjunction with microwave-mediated saponification, periodate oxidation, and clostridial sialidase hydrolysis to enable detailed structural characterization of gangliosides and their derivatives present in mullet milt. The gangliosides extracted from mullet milt were determined to be GM3, GM3 lactone, GM3 methyl ester, and 9-O-acetyl GM3, For the major ganglioside GM3 and all GM3 derivatives, the ceramide composition was revealed to be C-18:1/C-16:0. GM3 with a C-18:0/C-16:0 ceramide was also found as a minor ganglioside. Both the ganglioside intramolecular ester and the ganglioside methyl ester (lacking carboxylic acid groups) showed dominant chloride attachment peaks (M+Cl)(-) in negative ion ESI-MS in addition to low intensity peaks corresponding to (M-H)(-). GM3 and O-acetyl GM3 bearing carboxylic acid functions showed only (M-H)(-), In positive ion ESI, GM3 and O-acetyl GM3 revealed (M+2Na-H)(+) peaks in addition to (M+Na)(+); indicating free exchange of the carboxylic acid proton with a sodium cation, while the ganglioside intramolecular ester and ganglioside methyl ester with no acidic protons yielded only (M+Na)(+). The strategy of employing ESI-MS to detect products of established wet chemical reactions represents a general approach for elucidation of ganglioside structural details.