Unveiling new frontiers in proteomics, this work introduces two novel Multi-Reflecting TOF Mass Spectrometers (MRTs) designed to revolutionize protein exploration. These instruments offer a compelling combination of speed, dynamic range, and resolution, pushing the boundaries of current mass spectrometry capabilities.
The first MRT emerges as a compact powerhouse for broad proteomic coverage. This instrument boasts impressive specifications: ultrafast acquisition reaching 500 spectra per second, exceptional dynamic range spanning five orders of magnitude (10^5), and high resolution exceeding 100,000. Notably, this translates to 0.1 ppm mass precision in DIA LC-MS/MS experiments. Furthermore, the cost-effective design, featuring a compact and budget-friendly build, makes it a highly accessible option for widespread adoption in clinical studies.
Excelling at identifying a vast number of proteins (currently exceeding 8,000), this instrument maintains excellent isotopic resolution for proteins up to 80 kDa. Additionally, it delivers accurate monoisotopic mass measurements (100 ppb) for mid-sized proteins and achieves remarkable sequence coverage exceeding 80% in MS/MS spectra.
The second high-resolution MRT breaks new ground with a resolution of 1 million. This instrument combines exceptional resolution with fast scanning, enabling rapid analysis, and full mass range analysis, capturing the entire proteome in a single run. Furthermore, it boasts high sensitivity, allowing for quantitation at 20 ppb mass precision. This translates to deep proteome coverage, identifying over 3,000 proteins at a false discovery rate (FDR) below 1% from single cell digests in a single LC-MS run.
This instrument offers a powerful advantage for quantitative studies, allowing accurate protein quantification directly from MS1 spectra even in DIA MS/MS experiments. Notably, it maintains impressive protein identification capabilities (over 7,000 proteins) during DIA MS/MS analysis.
While operator skill influenced proteomic study performance, our advanced instrumentation developed by MSC surpasses the speed and dynamic range of current platforms by significant margins. These groundbreaking instruments hold tremendous potential to expand the toolkit available for proteomic research and applications. A detailed discussion on the fundamental advantages and limitations of these novel instruments compared to existing MS platforms will be presented.