Thermo Finnigan LLC

August A Specht

John E P Syka

James L Stephenson, Jr

Jean Jacques Dunyach

R Paul Atherton

A method comprises: (1) making an extract of a biological sample; (2) repeatedly: (a) choosing a respective one of a plurality of pre-determined protein or polypeptide analyte compounds; (b) introducing a portion of the extract into an electrospray ionization source, thereby generating positive ions comprising a plurality of ion species; (c) isolating a plurality of subsets of the ion species comprising respective mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio ranges, each range including an m/z ratio corresponding to a respective protonation state of the chosen compound; (d) reacting the isolated plurality of subsets of first-generation ion species with proton transfer reaction reagent anions for a pre-determined time duration; (e) generating a mass spectrum of the product ion species; and (g) identifying either the presence or absence of the compound based on the mass spectrum; and (3) identifying the presence or absence of the microorganism within the sample based on analytes present.

Methods for mass spectrometry of mixtures of proteins or polypeptides using proton transfer reaction

Applications of ion-ion reaction chemistry are disclosed in which proton transfer reactions (PTR) are used to (1) simplify complex mixture analysis of samples introduced into a mass spectrometer, and (2) improve resolution and sensitivity for the analysis of large proteins in excess of 50 kDa by removing charge and reducing the collisional cross section.

Methods for mass spectrometry of mixtures of protein or polypeptides using proton transfer reaction

A mass spectrometry system arrangement includes a curved ion guide, where the curve of the ion guide is positioned such that a portion of the ion optics are visible from at the ion guide entrance, e.g. line of sight or z-axis. There are four electrodes parallel with each other and the central curved axis. Each electrode is equally radially spaced from the curved central axis. For each cross section of the ion guide, the central curved axis being positioned at the origin, the curved electrodes being radially positioned at 45&#xb0;, 135&#xb0;, 225&#xb0;, and 315&#xb0;. Depending upon the system, a blocking device is positioned external to the ion guide but within the 'line of sight' or positioned tangential to the rising section of the bent ion guide.

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Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

August A Specht