• Mass Spectrometry Letters
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.14-17
• /
• 2017

The effect of cationization agent concentration on glycan detection via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was investigated using $Na^+$ ions in the form of NaCl as the cationization agent. NaCl solution concentrations ranging from 1 mM to 1 M were investigated. Glycans from ovalbumin were mixed with the cationization agent solution and the 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHB) matrix solution in a volume ratio of 1:1:1. The resulting mixture was loaded onto the MALDI plate. Two MALDI-TOF MS instruments (Voyager DE-STR MALDI-TOF MS and Tinkerbell RT MALDI-TOF MS) were used for detection of glycans. The best detection, in terms of the number of identified glycans, the peak intensity, and the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, was obtained with NaCl concentrations of 0.01-0.1 M for both MALDI-TOF MS instruments.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.27-30
• /
• 2015

This article reviews the fundamentals of sample preparation used in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). MALDI is a soft ionization method used to generate analyte ions in their intact forms, which are then detected in MS analysis. MALDI-MS boasts fast analysis times and easy-to-use operation. The disadvantages of MALDI-MS include the occurrence of matrix-associated peaks and inhomogeneous distribution of analyte within the matrix. To overcome the disadvantages of MALDI-MS, various efforts have been directed such as using different matrices, novel matrix systems, various additives, and different sample preparation methods. These various efforts will be discussed in detail. This article will benefit those who would like to obtain basic knowledge of MALDI sample preparation and those who would like to use MALDI-MS in their chemical analyses.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.61-64
• /
• 2011

Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-Flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) is the most widely used MS technique for glycan analysis. However, the poor point-to-point and sample-to-sample reproducibility becomes a limit in glycan biomarker research. A prespotted MALDI plate which overcomes the large crystal formation of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) has been developed and applied for glycan analysis. A homogeneous matrix coated surface without a crystal structure was formed on a hydrophilic/ hydrophobic patterned surface using a piezoelectric device. The reproducible MALDI-TOF-MS data have been presented using MALDI imaging of beer glycan as well as serum glycan eluted from 10% and 20% ACN elution fractions. The glycan profile from the serum glycan by MALDI-TOF-MS with a DHB prespotted plate was highly conserved for 10 different spectra and the coefficient of variations of significant ion peaks of MALDI data varies from 3.59 to 19.95.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.263-271
• /
• 2017

The application of mass spectrometry to polymer science has rapidly increased since the development of MALDI-TOF MS. This review summarizes current polymer analysis methods using MALDI-TOF MS, which has been extensively applied to analyze the average molecular weight of biopolymers and synthetic polymers. Polymer sequences have also been analyzed to reveal the structures and composition of monomers. In addition, the analysis of unknown end-groups and the determination of polymer concentrations are very important applications. Hyphenated techniques using MALDI-tandem MS have been used for the analysis of fragmentation patterns and end-groups, and also the combination of SEC and MALDI-TOF MS techniques is recommended for the analysis of complex polymers. Moreover, MALDI-TOF MS has been utilized for the observation of polymer degradation. Ion mobility MS, TOF-SIMS, and MALDI-TOF-imaging are also emerging technologies for polymer characterization because of their ability to automatically fractionate and localize polymer samples. The determination of polymer characteristics and their relation to the material properties is one of the most important demands for polymer scientists; the development of software and instrument for higher molecular mass range (> 100 kD) will increase the applications of MALDI-TOF MS for polymer scientists.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.145-156
• /
• 2022

Over the past few decades, few technologies have had a greater impact on clinical microbiology laboratories than matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The MALDI-TOF MS is a fast, accurate, and low-cost and efficient method of microbial identification. This technology generates characteristic mass spectral fingerprints that is a unique signature for each microorganism, making it an ideal method for accurate identification at the genus and species levels of both bacterial and fastidious microorganism such as anaerobes, mycobacterium and fungi etc. In addition, MALDI-TOF MS has been successfully used in microbial subtyping and susceptibility tests such as determination of resistance genes. In this study, the authors summarized the application of MALDI-TOF MS in clinical microbiology and clinical research and explored the future of MALDI-TOF MS.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.149-154
• /
• 2011

Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry is commonly used to analyze biological molecules such as proteins, peptides and lipids from cells or tissue. Recently MALDI Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) has been widely applied for the identification of different drugs and their metabolites in tissue. This special feature has made MALDI-MS a common choice for investigation of the molecular histology of pathological samples as well as an important alternative to other conventional imaging methods. The basic advantages of MALDI-IMS are its simple technique, rapid acquisition, increased sensitivity and most prominently, its capacity for direct tissue analysis without prior sample preparation. Moreover, with ms/ms analysis, it is possible to acquire structural information of known or unknown analytes directly from tissue sections. In recent years, MALDI-IMS has made enormous advances in the pathological field. Indeed, it is now possible to identify various changes in biological components due to disease states directly on tissue as well as to analyze the effect of treated drugs. In this review, we focus on the advantages of MALDI tissue imaging over traditional methods and highlight some motivating findings that are significant in pathological studies.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.34 no.7
• /
• pp.2143-2147
• /
• 2013

Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) is a very effective method for lipid mass fingerprinting. However, MALDI MS suffered from spectral complexities, differential ionization efficiencies, and poor reproducibility when analyzing complex lipid mixtures without prior separation steps. Here, we aimed to find optimal MALDI sample preparation methods which enable selective or class-wide mass fingerprinting of two totally different lipid classes. In order to achieve this, various matrices with additives were tested against the mixture of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cerebrosides (Cers) which are abundant in animal brain tissues and also of great interests in disease biology. Our results showed that, from complex lipid mixtures, 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone (THAP) with $NaNO_3$ was a useful MALDI matrix for the class-wide fingerprinting of PC and Cers. In contrast, THAP efficiently generated PC-focused profiles and graphene oxide (GO) with $NaNO_3$ provided Cer-only profiles with reduced spectral complexity.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.167-173
• /
• 2017

In the era of the forth Industrial Revolution, open source code and open source hardware have gained much attention. In particular, 3D printing technology is expanding into the realms of classical science, technology and our daily lives. Relatedly, in the present study, we demonstrate the manufacture of a nano-LC MALDI spotter robot using 3D printing technology. The parts of the spotter robot were either made using a 3D printer or purchased as 3D printer parts from the 3D printer online market, so that anyone can make the robot without a deep knowledge of engineering or electronics, i.e., DIY (do-it-yourself) product. In the nano-LC MALDI spotter, the nano-LC eluent and MALDI matrix were mixed in a T-union and discharged from the capillary outlet. The eluent and matrix mixture could be spotted onto the movable MALDI plate. The MALDI plate was designed to translate in a two-dimensional space (xy plane), which was enabled by the movements of two stepper motors. In the paper, all computer-aided design (CAD) files for the parts and operation software are provided to help the reader manufacture their own spotter robot.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.69-77
• /
• 2019

Screening microorganisms that can produce glucan hydrolases for industrial, environmental, and biomedical applications is important. Herein, we describe a novel approach to perform glucan hydrolase screening-based on analysis of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) spectra-which involves degradation of the oligo- and polysaccharides. As a proof-of-concept study, glucan hydrolases that could break down glucans made of several glucose units were used to demonstrate the MALDI-MS-based enzyme assay. First, the enzyme activities of ${\alpha}$-amylase and cellulase on a mixture of glucan oligosaccharides were successfully discriminated, where changes of the MALDI-MS profiles directly reflected the glucan hydrolase activities. Next, we validated that this MALDI-MS-based enzyme assay could be applied to glucan polysaccharides (i.e., pullulan, lichenan, and schizophyllan). Finally, the bacterial glucan hydrolase activities were screened on 96-well plate-based platforms, using cell lysates or samples of secreted enzyme. Our results demonstrated that the MALDI-MS-based enzyme assay system would be useful for investigating bacterial glucoside hydrolases in a high-throughput manner.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.93-105
• /
• 2021

Exosomes have gained the attention of the scientific community because of their role in facilitating intercellular communication, which is critical in disease monitoring and drug delivery research. Exosome research has grown significantly in recent decades, with a focus on the development of various technologies for isolating and characterizing exosomes. Among these efforts is the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS), which offers high-throughput direct analysis while also being cost and time effective. MALDI is used less frequently in exosome research than electrospray ionization due to the diverse population of extracellular vesicles and the impurity of isolated products, both of which necessitate chromatographic separation prior to MS analysis. However, MALDI-MS is a more appropriate instrument for the analytical approach to patient therapy, given it allows for fast and label-free analysis. There is a huge drive to explore MALDI-MS in exosome research because the technology holds great potential, most notably in biomarker discovery. With methods such as fingerprint analysis, OMICs profiling, and statistical analysis, the search for biomarkers could be much more efficient. In this review, we highlight the potential of MALDI-MS as a tool for investigating exosomes and some of the possible strategies that can be implemented based on prior research.