Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Reproducible molecular networking of untargeted mass spectrometry data using GNPS

Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) is an interactive online small molecule-focused tandem mass spectrometry (MS2) data curation and analysis infrastructure. It is intended to provide as much chemical insight as possible into an untargeted MS2 dataset and to connect this chemical insight to the user's underlying biological questions. This can be performed within one liquid chromatography (LC)-MS2 experiment or at the repository scale. GNPS-MassIVE is a public data repository for untargeted MS2 data with sample information (metadata) and annotated MS2 spectra. These publicly accessible data can be annotated and updated with the GNPS infrastructure keeping a continuous record of all changes. This knowledge is disseminated across all public data; it is a living dataset. Molecular networking-one of the main analysis tools used within the GNPS platform-creates a structured data table that reflects the molecular diversity captured in tandem mass spectrometry experiments by computing the relationships of the MS2 spectra as spectral similarity. This protocol provides step-by-step instructions for creating reproducible, high-quality molecular networks. For training purposes, the reader is led through a 90- to 120-min procedure that starts by recalling an example public dataset and its sample information and proceeds to creating and interpreting a molecular network. Each data analysis job can be shared or cloned to disseminate the knowledge gained, thus propagating information that can lead to the discovery of molecules, metabolic pathways, and ecosystem/community interactions.

Comparison of the applicability of mass spectrometer ion sources using a polarity- molecular weight scattergram with a 600 sample in-house chemical library

To provide a practical guideline for the selection of a mass spectrometer ion source, we compared the applicability of three types of ion source: direct analysis in real time (DART), electrospray ionization (ESI) and fast atom bombardment (FAB), using an in-house high-resolution mass spectrometry sample library consisting of approximately 600 compounds. The great majority of the compounds (92%), whose molecular weights (MWs) were broadly distributed between 150 and 1000, were detected using all the ion sources. Nevertheless, some compounds were not detected using specific ion sources. The use of FAB resulted in the highest sample detection rate (>98%), whereas the detection rates obtained using DART and ESI were slightly lower (>96%). A scattergram constructed using MW and topological polar surface area (tPSA) as a substitute for molecular polarity showed that the performance of ESI was weak in the low-MW (<400), low-polarity (tPSA<60) area, whereas the performance of DART was weak in the high-MW (>800) area. These results might provide guidelines for the selection of ion sources for inexperienced mass spectrometry users.

Tandem mass spectrometry in an electrostatic linear ion trap modified for surface-induced dissociation

A variety of ion traps are used in mass spectrometry. A key feature shared by most of them is the ability to perform tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The Orbitrap is perhaps the most notable ion trap in which MS/MS has yet to be performed. An electrostatic linear ion trap (ELIT) is analogous to an orbitrap in that ions are trapped using solely electrostatic fields. However, the relatively simple ion motion within an ELIT facilitates analysis of fragment ions produced within the device. In this report, we describe an ELIT to which we have added a target for surface induced dissociation (SID). When combined with our previously described method for isolating a precursor ion trapped in an ELIT,1 this apparatus enables MS/MS to be performed. Measurement of product ion m/z is facilitated by the fact that the ELIT is isochronous over the energy range of 1850-2000 eV so that changes to ion energy during SID do not cause major m/z shifts. We demonstrate MS/MS by isolating and dissociating each compound in a four component mixture of tetraalkylphosphonium cations. We also discuss the optimization of collision energy and the length of time that the SID target is available for collision, two parameters that are important in the performance of these experiments.