Mass Spectrometers for Protein and Peptide Analysis

Abstract

Two different types of instruments are used for most proteomics MS work: the MALDI-TOF instruments and the ESI-tandem MS instruments. The two types operate in entirely different ways and generate different, but complementary information. Indeed, the best-equipped proteomics laboratories have both types of instruments available. This chapter describes how each of these instruments works and what types of data they produce, and compares them on the basis of their advantages and limitations. Before we get to the instruments themselves, let’s take a look at the basics of MS instrumentation.