Tandem FTMS of Large Biomolecules.

摘要: The application of MS to the analysis large biomolecules has undergone explosive growth in past 10 years. With development electrospray ionization (ESI) (1, 2) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) (3), intact molecular ions molecules with weights up hundreds megadaltons can now be formed mass analyzed. These methods have placed increasing demands on performance analyzers, challenging analytical chemists develop new instrumentation for obtaining weight structural information. MALDI led resurgence time-of-flight accuracy, sensitivity, resolution. Similarly, multiply charged hundred-megadalton range, by ESI, required innovative detection methods. Tandem (MS/MS)—in which a precursor ion is selected from mixture, dissociated or reacted, product are analyzed—has become powerful method analyzing complex mixtures small solving “needle-in-the-haystack” problems. dissociation chemical reactivity been extensively studied wide range techniques, significant amount information about energetics mechanisms obtained (4). As result, MS/MS tool characterizing trace quantities compounds mixtures. By comparison, chemistry structure larger (>5 kDa) gas-phase less well-known. However, advances made recent years characterization methods. developments possible applications important problems biochemistry medicine, including sequence information, locating positions post-translational modifications binding sites, identifying proteins found cells. For applications, ESI an advantage because technique forms m/z values that typically 500–2500. For than ~3500 Da, multiple charging facilitates production more structurally useful fragments those singly produced MALDI. Various types spectrometers used experiments ESI-generated ions. Of these instruments, Fourier transform (FTMS) several capabilities make it well-suited this (5, 6). include ultrahigh resolution (>105 at 1000); remeasurement; multichannel over range; long storage times; extensive MSn capabilities, two-dimensional simultaneously recording spectra (7). combination FTMS becoming one most biomolecules. This Report covers topics illustrate type currently obtainable ESI-FTMS. More comprehensive reviews both (5–7) available.