Miniaturization of MALDI Mass Spectrometers with the Technological Breakthrough of the Digital Ion Trap: Peptide and Protein Analysis in MS1, MS2, and MS3

Abstract

A digital ion trap (DIT) mass spectrometer was developed to extend the mass range in comparison to conventional ion traps. This was achieved by changing the RF voltage from a sinusoidal to a rectangular waveform. In addition to the extended mass range, the size of the instrument was miniaturized. To show the benefits of this development, MALDI applications in MS¹, MS², and MS³ are presented: On one hand, it is possible to analyze intact proteins, on the other hand the instrument enables insights into the structure of antibodies and glycoproteins after enzymatic digestion and collision-induced dissociation (CID).