On-line capillary electrophoresis-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of nucleotides.

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and reversed anionic capillary isotachophoresis (CITP) conditions have been developed for the separation of mixtures comprised of monophosphate nucleosides, pyridine and flavin dinucleotides, and monophosphate dinucleosides. Results for the on-line coupling of CZE and CITP with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS) are presented. CITP-tandem MS is utilized to provide both molecular weight and structural information of monophosphate dinucleotides. The fragmentation pattern of dinucleotides in the low collision energy range is described. The resulting mass spectra are readily interpreted in terms of dinucleotide structures. These results demonstrate the new capability for applications for the study of DNA and RNA.