Analysis of DNA Damage Using Capillary Zone Electrophoresis and Electrospray Mass Spectrometry

The methodology described in this chapter was developed to perform DNA adduct research. Chemicals causing DNA adducts can lead to DNA damage, such as strand breaks, by hydrolysis of the DNA adducts. A preliminary screening procedure to detect DNA strand breaks using agarose gel electrophoresis is described. However, the focus of this chapter is on the analysis of the products resulting from this DNA damage and the DNA adducts by capillary zone electrophoresis coupled on-line to electrospray mass spectrometry (CZE-ESI-MS). The sample preparation, the coupling of CZE to ESI-MS and the use of CZE-ESI-MS/MS are discussed in detail. A sample stacking procedure, used to concentrate the samples up to a factor of 200 on the CZE capillary, is described.