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Atmospheric pressure‐electron capture dissociation of peptides using a modified PhotoSpray ion source
Author(s) -
Robb Damon B.,
Rogalski Jason C.,
Kast Jürgen,
Blades Michael W.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.4773
Subject(s) - chemistry , atmospheric pressure , mass spectrometry , nebulizer , photoionization , dissociation (chemistry) , ion , analytical chemistry (journal) , electron capture dissociation , chromatography , tandem mass spectrometry , ionization , organic chemistry , medicine , oceanography , anesthesia , geology
An improved in‐source atmospheric pressure‐electron capture dissociation (AP‐ECD) method is described. Building upon the early example of Laprévote's group, photoelectrons generated within a commercial PhotoSpray atmospheric pressure photoionization source are used to induce ECD of multiply charged peptide ions originating from an upstream heated nebulizer device. To attain high sensitivity, the method makes use of a novel electropneumatic‐heated nebulizer to assist in the creation and transmission of multiply charged ions from sample solutions. Here, we demonstrate that readily interpretable AP‐ECD spectra of infused peptides can be acquired from 100 fmol sample consumed, on a chromatographic time scale, using a conventional quadrupole time‐of‐flight (Q‐ToF) mass spectrometer otherwise incapable of ECD/ETD experiments. Though much work remains to be done to develop and characterize the method, the results indicate that AP‐ECD has the potential to be a practical new tool for the mass spectrometric analysis of peptides and proteins. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.