The Sample Requirements of Protein Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical technique that can provide detailed information about the composition, structure, and modifications of proteins. To ensure the accuracy and reliability of the analytical results, the requirements for the samples are relatively strict, as follows:

 

Sample Purity

The samples for mass spectrometry analysis must be of high purity to avoid interference from other substances. Therefore, it is important to remove as many impurities as possible from the sample, such as other proteins, salts, and small molecule compounds. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that there are absolutely no particles/undissolved substances in the sample to avoid clogging the automatic sampler and other pipelines.

 

Sample Concentration

In order to obtain reliable signals on the mass spectrometer, it is recommended to keep the sample concentration around 10-20 μM. If the concentration is too low, no signal will be collected. If the concentration is too high, the signal difference and mass accuracy will be poor. For samples with too low concentration, they need to be concentrated or enriched, while samples with too high concentration need to be diluted.

 

Solubility and Stability of the Sample

The test sample must be soluble in an appropriate solvent and maintain its stability during the analysis process. Ideally, the sample should be in the form of undissolved solids or pure liquids. If the sample is already in solution form, detailed information about its solvent, concentration, or content must be provided for accurate analysis.

 

Sample Preparation and Processing

The sample should be properly treated, such as reduction, alkylation, enzymatic digestion, etc., to improve the accuracy and sensitivity of mass spectrometry analysis. In addition, it is important to avoid using reagents or conditions that interfere with mass spectrometry analysis, such as nonionic detergents like TWEEN, Thesit, Triton-X, etc. These detergents contain polyethylene glycol, which strongly interferes by forming ion pairs with all polymer ions.

 

Sample Preservation and Transportation

The sample should be stored under appropriate temperature and humidity conditions, avoiding light and oxidation. During transportation, the stability and safety of the sample should be ensured to avoid denaturation or degradation. If your samples are in organic solvents such as chloroform, methanol, or acetonitrile, please avoid using plastic packaging boxes as they contain plasticizers, which can also cause high background problems.

 

The requirements for protein mass spectrometry analysis of samples involve purity, concentration, solubility, stability, preparation and processing, and preservation and transportation. Meeting these requirements can ensure the accuracy and reliability of mass spectrometry analysis, providing valuable information for protein research and the biomedical field. Therefore, before performing protein mass spectrometry analysis, these requirements should be carefully considered and met to obtain high-quality mass spectrometry data.

 

MtoZ Biolabs is equipped with a comprehensive sample pretreatment platform. At the same time, we have experienced technical personnel who can efficiently extract proteins at the omics level. Combined with our highly specific post-translational modification enrichment platform and ultra-high liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry platform, we can provide efficient enrichment of specific modified peptide segments at the omics level, identification and relative quantification (3D/4D), and absolute quantification analysis of proteins at the omics level. For more service details, please feel free to consult.