Orbitrap Fusion™ Lumos™

UltrafleXtreme MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer (Bruker Daltonics, Germany) is the+ instrument combining true 1 kHz smartbeam II laser technology speed in both TOF and TOF/TOF modes with ultra-high performance and extreme flexibility. The instrument was installed in 2011. It is used for rapid analysis of biomolecules and synthetic compounds. It is also used to study the distribution of chemical species in tissue sections (MALDI molecular imaging).

The SCIEX TripleTOF 5600 is the next generation in Quadrupole TOF technology. Instrument was developed to add high-resolution at the speed and sensitivity needed to give equivalent CV's and limits of quantitation (LOQ) to high-end triple quadrupoles. TripleTOF 5600 combines the highest sensitivity detection, high-resolution with 100 Hz acquisition speed, and stable ~1 ppm mass accuracy over days of acquisition. The spectrometer is connected with Dionex ULTIMATE 3000 HPLC system. The instrument was installed in summer 2011 and is used for proteomics.

The SCIEX QTRAP 6500+ system combines triple quadrupole mass spectrometry with linear ion trap (LIT). The system consists of serially connected three quadrupoles with a potential of using the last one as LIT for improved MS scans, such as Enhanced MS (EMS), Enhanced Multi-Charge (EMC), Enhanced Product Ion (EPI), Enhanced Resolution (ER) and MS/MS/MS (MS3). The QTRAP 6500+ system connects with ExionLC UHPLC system through atmospheric pressure ion sources – ESI or APCI. The QTRAP 6500+ system also offers connection of an optional module – differential mobility spectrometry (DMS, SelexION technology) thus allowing separation of isobaric species based on their collision cross section.

At the research-service team of Mass Spectrometry, the QTRAP system is used for quantification in general and targeted metabolomics studies. Such setup enables separation and targeted quantification of small molecules, e.g., neurotransmitters, nucleosides/nucleotides, phytoprostanes, especially when using multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM).

The SYNAPT G2 (Waters) is hybrid quadrupole - time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometer equipped with a travelling wave ion-mobility separation cell, which allows to separate gaseous ions not only in terms of mass, but also in terms of their shapes. SYNAPT G2 is coupled to Acquity UPLC M-Class and I-Class system (Waters). ESI, nanoESI, APCI and MALDI ion sources are available. Many options allowed to employ the instrument to many scientific project, for example, analysis of dinucleoside polyphosphates, development top-down MALDI in source decay based proteomics, analysis of lipopeptides and mobility separation of G-quadruplexes.

LTQ Orbitrap XL (Thermo Scientific) ) is a hybrid FT mass spectrometer combines a linear ion trap MS and the Orbitrap mass analyzer. Ions generated by API (APCI, ESI, nanoESI) are collected in the LTQ XL followed by axial ejection to the C-shaped storage trap, which is used to store and collisionally cool ions before injection into the orbitral trap. Excellent mass accuracy and its stability are the key features of this instrument. LTQ Orbitrap XL can be coupled to UHPLC system for LC/MS applications. In our lab, the instrument is mainly used for determination of elemental composition of organic compounds and modified biomolecules based on accurate mass measurement. The instrument was installed in January 2008.

LCQ (Thermo Scientific) ion-trap mass spectrometers is used for analytical studies. In one instrument, a modified inlet system allows the introduction of various samples in the ionization as well as the reaction regions. LCQ Classic is coupled to capillary electrophoresis.

The SCIEX Echo MS system consists of triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (SCIEX Triple Quad 6500+) and an Echo MS module, which is an analyte sampler based on acoustic wave system called Acoustic Droplet Ejection combined with Open Port Interface design. The ejection of droplets takes place from a 384 well plate. Mass spectrometer and Echo MS module are connected via capillary that also serves as an ESI source.

The Echo MS system is used at the research-service group biochemical pharmacology for targeted quantification in ADME assays and enzyme assays, where samples contain diverse and complex matrices. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode is used for the targeted quantification. The system is especially useful in high-throughput quantitative analysis, since the speed of analysis can be as fast as 1 sample per second.

Mass spectrometer SELECT SERIES Cyclic IMS (Waters Corporation, USA) uses quadrupole and time-of-flight analyzers in combination with cyclic ion mobility cell. The instrument can be equipped with ESI, nano-ESI, APCI and UniSpray sources. Cyclic ion mobility enables separation of isomers and conformers based on size and m/z. Resolution of the ion mobility separation can be scaled by increasing number of passes through the cell based on sample complexity. Selected ions can also be ejected from the mobility cell without acquisition, focusing only on targeted analytes, increasing specificity. The instrument is also capable of IMSn activation by sending selected ions into the pre-array storage and reinjecting them under collision induced dissociation/activation conditions back into mobility cell. Moreover, electron capture dissociation and surface induced dissociation techniques are available.

In our lab, the instrument is mainly used for native analysis of protein and noncovalent protein complexes.

Mass spectrometer SELECT SERIES Cyclic IMS was installed in December 2021.

Orbitrap™ IQ-X™ Tribrid™ Mass Spectrometer (Thermo Scientific) is a mass spectrometer that combines quadrupole, linear ion trap, and Orbitrap mass analyzer technology to provide the most comprehensive MSn data per sample. It is equipped with the new Auto-Ready ion source for hands-free calibration, combined with Thermo Scientific™ EASY-IC™ (internal calibration). The instrument offers flexible fragmentation options for structural determination of lipids, metabolites and other small molecules using Collision Induced Dissociation (CID), Higher Energy Collisional Dissociation (HCD) and Ultraviolet Photodissociation (UVPD). It provides ultra-high resolution of at least 500,000 FWHM for improved unknown analysis and fine isotope detection. The instrument is connected to the Thermo Scientific Vanquish UHPLC system and uses TriPlus RTC autosampler and liquid handling system.

The Orbitrap ID-X™ Tribrid™ mass spectrometer (Thermo Scientific) combines three mass analyzers: a quadrupole, an Orbitrap, and a linear ion trap. The quadrupole allows for precursor ion selection and fragmentation. The Orbitrap provides high-resolution mass measurements. The linear ion trap enables MSⁿ (tandem mass spectrometry) experiments. This configuration significantly expands the possibilities for the analysis of unknown compounds, and it is an invaluable technology in the fields of untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics, as well as in the study of oligonucleotides and natural compounds. The instrument was installed in the summer of 2020.