AP-ECD methods and apparatus for mass spectrometric analysis of peptides and proteins

摘要

An in-source atmospheric pressure electron capture dissociation (AP-ECD) method and apparatus for mass spectrometric analysis of peptides and proteins. An electrified sprayer generates a multiply-charged peptide/protein ions from a sample solution, a source of electrons for negative reagents, and a flow of gas for guiding positively charged ions from the electrified sprayer to a downstream reaction region within the guide. The reaction region being at or near atmospheric pressure and substantially free of the electric field from the electrified sprayer. In another embodiment, the method uses electron transfer dissociation (ETD), in the event that anions are substituted for electrons as the negative reagents. Fragment ions exiting the reaction region are subsequently passed into a mass analyzer of a mass spectrometer for mass analysis of the ions.