Mass spectrometers for proteomics

Thermo Fisher Scientific has launched two mass spectrometers: the LTQ Velos and LTQ Orbitrap.

The LTQ Velos has a dual-pressure trap design that features two discrete pressure regions to allow the decoupling of ion manipulation and detection. This enables the utilisation of optimal pressures during analysis, increasing both scan speed and resolution.

The LTQ Orbitrap Velos combines the Orbitrap mass analyser, a higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD) cell and dual-pressure trap technology to routinely deliver ultra-high resolution and accurate mass data.

The speed of the LTQ Velos-based mass spectrometers is suitable for coupling to U-HPLC systems, enabling researchers to identify more compounds in less time.

The dual-pressure trap and S-Lens API interface combine to deliver increased sensitivity, improved ion transmission and more efficient trapping and fragmentation of ions.

The high data quality and sensitivity of the LTQ Velos make it suitable for the analysis of complex mixtures, such as the identification of low-level proteins and structural elucidation of metabolites in biological matrices.

For proteomics applications, the improvements in speed and sensitivity provide greater coverage in the analysis of complex peptide mixtures, increasing the confidence of protein identification at low sample levels. The multiple fragmentation techniques available on the LTQ Velos enable more confident sequence assignment and post-translational modification identification. Faster scan rates also reduce cycle times by up to 50%, doubling the number of proteins and peptides identified.

For metabolism applications, the dual-pressure trap technology increases fragmentation efficiencies, resulting in faster, more confident structural elucidation. The improved speed and sensitivity combines with MSn capabilities, maximising throughput while maintaining the data quality required for the identification and quantitation of multiple co-eluting compounds.

The LTQ Velos can be upgraded to the LTQ Orbitrap Velos, allowing laboratories to extend their initial investment to include accurate mass and ultra-high resolution capabilities with no compromise to sensitivity and speed of analysis.