Fragmentation analysis by superconducting ion detectors in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)

Abstract: Fragmentation of precursor ions of peptides or proteins is very promising for sequencing with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS). Neutral fragments as well as ions produced by post-source decay (PSD) were measured by a superconducting tunnel junction detector in a linear TOF-MS. It has been demonstrated that the PSD fragments are observable as event bands with different kinetic energies at the same TOF as that of the precursor ions of polystyrene with a nominal mass of 200kDa and bovine serum albumin of 66.43kDa. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]