Mass spectrometry analyzing fragments with

Several desorphon and spray ionization methods can be used to convert S5mthehc polymers into intact molecular or quasimolecular ions (vide supra), whose exact m/z ratio identifies the composition of the polymer. For structural informahon about the polymer, the dissociation behavior or ion-molecule reactions of the polymer ions must be studied. Such reactions, which rarely take place during the soft ionization processes necessary to generate intact gas phase ions from synthetic macromolecules, are most conveniently assessed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). With MS/MS, a specific precursor ion is mass-selected, so that its reactivity can be investigated without perturbation from the other ions formed upon ionization. The reaction products of this ion are then mass-analyzed and collected in the MS/MS spectrum. MS/MS studies on polymer ions have so far focused on their spontaneous ("metastable") or collision-induced fragmentation. The fragments arising in these reactions are displayed in metastable ion (MI) or collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) spectra, respectively. Customarily, MI spectra acquired with a TOF mass analyzer have been named "postsource decay (PSD)" spectra similarly, CAD is often referred to as CID (collision-induced dissociation). ... 

Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is a method for obtaining sequence and structural information by measurement of the mass-to-charge ratios of ionized molecules before and after dissociation reactions within a mass spectrometer which consists essentially of two mass spectrometers in tandem. In the first step, precursor ions are selected for further fragmentation by energy impact and interaction with a collision gas. The generated product ions can be analyzed by a second scan step. MS/MS measurements of peptides can be performed using electrospray or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization in combination with triple quadruple, ion trap, quadrupole-TOF (time-of-flight), TOF-TOF or ion cyclotron resonance MS. Tandem... 

Escherichia coli Adenine and adenosine are inhibitory74 and the synthesis of thiamine can be derepressed by culture in their presence.13,75 adth- Mutants are known.76 [l4C]Formate incorporates at C-2 of pyramine without dilution of molar activity. Glycine labeled with stable isotopes was fed to E. coli and the pyramine was analyzed by mass spectrometry. The two carbon atoms of glycine separated during the biosynthesis. The carboxyl was found12 at C-4, and the C-N fragment was the precursor of C-6-N-1. In conclusion, it is beyond doubt that pyramine synthesis follows the AIR pathway in E. coli. 

Different mass analysers can be combined with the electrospray ionization source to effect analysis. These include magnetic sector analysers, quadrupole filter (Q), quadrupole ion trap (QIT), time of flight (TOF), and more recently the Fourrier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass analysers. Tandem mass spectrometry can also be effected by combining one or more mass analysers in tandem, as in a triple quadrupole or a QTOF. The first analyzer is usually used as a mass filter to select parent ions that can be fragmented and analyzed by subsequent analysers. 

Figure 3.9 Conceptual view of tandem mass spectrometry with a tandem-inspace triple quadrupole mass analyzer." The first mass analyzer (Ql) selects the precursor ion of interest by allowing only it to pass, while discriminating against all others. The precursor ion is then fragmented, usually by energetic collisions, in the second quadrupole (q2) that is operated in transmissive mode allowing all fragment ions to be collimated and passed into the third quadrupole (Q3). Q3 performs mass analysis on the product ions that compose the tandem mass spectra and are rationalized to a structure.

The first part of this book is dedicated to a discussion of mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation. We start with a list of basic definitions and explanations (Chapter 1). Chapter 2 is devoted to the mass spectrometer and its building blocks. In this chapter we describe in relative detail the most common ion sources, mass analyzers, and detectors. Some of the techniques are not extensively used today, but they are often cited in the MS literature, and are important contributions to the history of MS instrumentation. In Chapter 3 we describe both different fragmentation methods and several typical tandem MS analyzer configurations. Chapter 4 is somewhat of an outsider. Separation methods is certainly too vast a topic to do full justice in less than twenty pages. However, some separation methods are used in such close alliance with MS that the two techniques are always referred to as one combined analytical tool, for example, GC-MS and LC-MS. In effect, it is almost impossible to study the MS literature without coming across at least one separation method. Our main goal with Chapter 4 is, therefore, to facilitate an introduction to the MS literature for the reader by providing a short summary of the basic principles of some of the most common separation methods that have been used in conjunction with mass spectrometry. 

In principle, it would be possible to perform multistage mass spectrometry like in an ICR analyzer although with no gas CID would of course not be possible, but other dissociation methods could be employed. There might, however, be technical issues. At the time of writing, fragmentation is performed in the linear QIT preceeding the orbitrap in Thermo Fischer Scientific s instrument. Both pulsed and continuous ion sources can be employed. There are several ion sources that can be employed with Thermo Fischer Scientific s orbitrap. 

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