Determination of 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate in cells and Golgi fractions using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

3'-Phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) is a key player in the sulfation of biomolecules, but methods for selective measurements are lacking. A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approach for measuring PAPS was developed. A central feature of the method was employing hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), which is highly suited for separating very polar/charged compounds, and is compatible with electrospray MS.