Can Mass Spectrometry Detect Protein Sequences?

Mass spectrometry is a method of substance analysis based on the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. In the mass spectrometer, the sample to be tested is ionized to generate ions, which are then separated according to their mass-to-charge ratio through an electric or magnetic field, and finally, a mass spectrum is generated according to the relative abundance and mass-to-charge ratio of the ions.

 

Applications

Mass spectrometry can ionize proteins or peptides through an ion source to generate ions, and then perform mass analysis of the ions through a mass analyzer to obtain the mass information of the protein or peptide, i.e., the mass spectrum. By analyzing the mass spectrum, the amino acid sequence information of the protein or peptide can be obtained.

 

Analysis Workflow

1. Protein Digestion

First, the protein sample is digested with an enzyme to generate peptides.

 

2. Peptide Ionization

The digested peptide sample is ionized through an ion source to generate peptide ions.

 

3. Ion Mass Analysis

The peptide ions are subjected to mass analysis through a mass analyzer to obtain a mass spectrum.

 

4. Mass Spectrum Analysis

By analyzing the mass spectrum, the mass information of the peptide can be obtained. By searching the database, the amino acid sequence of the peptide can be obtained.

 

In this way, mass spectrometry can not only be used for protein sequence identification, but also for quantitative analysis of proteins, such as analysis of protein expression levels, post-translational modification of proteins, etc. Mass spectrometry is an important tool for protein research, and its application in protein sequence detection provides strong support for biomedical research. However, the application of mass spectrometry in protein sequence detection still faces many challenges, such as the complexity of protein sample processing, the accuracy of mass spectrum analysis, etc., which need further research and technological innovation to solve.