IEF on immobilized pH gradient strips is a widespread tool for protein separation, especially as first dimension in commonly utilized 2DE. In the latter arrangement, separations are based on two orthogonal molecular characteristics according to pI in the first and molecular weight in the second dimension. However, the approach is time consuming, quantification is difficult and MS can be applied only offline. Capillary IEF and related IEF techniques in combination with MS provide similar information. The major benefits are high mass resolution and mass accuracy, reproducibility, speed, automation, and quantification by using a high-resolution mass spectrometer. However, online hyphenation of CIEF with MS is interfered by the ampholytes, acids, and bases needed for high-resolution IEF. This review will give an overview about important coupling techniques, like low ampholyte concentration, interim separation by chromatography, or the use of a dialysis interface to separate the analytes from interfering substances. It is focused on strategies which allow sensitive MS detection of CIEF-separated analytes. In addition, proteomic and biopharmaceutical applications of capillary IEF techniques combined with MS are briefly summarized.

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) is a powerful tool that is progressively being applied for the separation of monoclonal antibody (mAb) charge variants. Mass spectrometry (MS) is the desired detection method concerning identification of mAb variants. In biopharmaceutical applications, there exist optimized and validated electrolyte systems for mAb variant quantification. However, these electrolytes interfere greatly with the electrospray ionization (ESI) process. Here, a heart-cut CZE-CZE-MS setup with an implemented mechanical four-port valve interface was developed that used a generic ε-aminocaproic acid based background electrolyte in the first dimension and acetic acid in the second dimension. Interference-free, highly precise mass data (deviation less than 1 Da) of charge variants of trastuzumab, acting as model mAb system, were achieved. The mass accuracy obtained (low parts per million range) is discussed regarding both measured and calculated masses. Deamidation was detected for the intact model antibody, and related mass differences were significantly confirmed on the deglycosylated level. The CZE-CZE-MS setup is expected to be applicable to a variety of antibodies and electrolyte systems. Thus, it has the potential to become a compelling tool for MS characterization of antibody variants separated in ESI-interfering electrolytes. Graphical Abstract Two-dimensional capillary zone electrophoresis mass spectrometry for the characterization of intact monoclonal antibody (mAb) charge variants. A generic, but highly electrospray-interfering electrolyte system was used as first dimension for mAb charge variant separation and coupled to a volatile electrolyte system as second dimension via a four-port nanoliter valve. In this way, interference-free and precise mass spectrometric data of separated mAb charge variants, including deamidation products, were obtained.

Cultured mammalian cells essential are model systems in basic biology research, production platforms of proteins for medical use, and testbeds in synthetic biology. Flavin cofactors, in particular flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), are critical for cellular redox reactions and sense light in naturally occurring photoreceptors and optogenetic tools. Here, we quantified flavin contents of commonly used mammalian cell lines. We first compared three procedures for extraction of free and noncovalently protein-bound flavins and verified extraction using fluorescence spectroscopy. For separation, two CE methods with different BGEs were established, and detection was performed by LED-induced fluorescence with limit of detections (LODs 0.5-3.8 nM). We found that riboflavin (RF), FMN, and FAD contents varied significantly between cell lines. RF (3.1-14 amol/cell) and FAD (2.2-17.0 amol/cell) were the predominant flavins, while FMN (0.46-3.4 amol/cell) was found at markedly lower levels. Observed flavin contents agree with those previously extracted from mammalian tissues, yet reduced forms of RF were detected that were not described previously. Quantification of flavins in mammalian cell lines will allow a better understanding of cellular redox reactions and optogenetic tools.