Parallelized Acquisition of Orbitrap and Astral Analyzers Enables High-Throughput Quantitative Analysis

The growing trend toward high-throughput proteomics demands rapid liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) cycles that limit the available time to gather the large numbers of MS/MS fragmentation spectra required for identification. Orbitrap analyzers scale performance with acquisition time and necessarily sacrifice sensitivity and resolving power to deliver higher acquisition rates. We developed a new mass spectrometer that combines a mass-resolving quadrupole, the Orbitrap, and the novel Asymmetric Track Lossless (Astral) analyzer. The new hybrid instrument enables faster acquisition of high-resolution accurate mass (HRAM) MS/MS spectra compared with state-of-the-art mass spectrometers. Accordingly, new proteomics methods were developed that leverage the strengths of each HRAM analyzer, whereby the Orbitrap analyzer performs full scans with a high dynamic range and resolution, synchronized with the Astral analyzer's acquisition of fast and sensitive HRAM MS/MS scans. Substantial improvements are demonstrated over previous methods using current state-of-the-art mass spectrometers.

Performance evaluation of a hybrid linear ion trap/orbitrap mass spectrometer

Design and performance of a novel hybrid mass spectrometer is described. It couples a linear ion trap mass spectrometer to an orbitrap mass analyzer via an rf-only trapping quadrupole with a curved axis. The latter injects pulsed ion beams into a rapidly changing electric field in the orbitrap wherein they are trapped at high kinetic energies around an inner electrode. Image current detection is subsequently performed after a stable electrostatic field is achieved. Fourier transformation of the acquired transient allows wide mass range detection with high resolving power, mass accuracy, and dynamic range. The entire instrument operates in LC/MS mode (1 spectrum/s) with nominal mass resolving power of 60,000 and uses automatic gain control to provide high-accuracy mass measurements, within 2 ppm using internal standards and within 5 ppm with external calibration. The maximum resolving power exceeds 100,000 (fwhm). Rapid, automated data-dependent capabilities enable real-time acquisition of up to three high-mass accuracy MS/MS spectra per second.