Sample Preparation in Biological Analysis by Atmospheric Pressure Matrix Assisted Laser/Desorption Ionization (AP-MALDI) Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Rapid detection and identification of biological molecules is of utmost importance in a number of applications including clinical diagnosis and detection of foodborne pathogens as well as environmental contaminants. Mass spectrometry affords a high degree of accuracy (specificity) and sensitivity without a need for extensive sample purification. Atmospheric-pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (AP-MALDI) mass spectrometry has become a useful technique in a number of important applications, including identification of proteins, and structural analysis of oligosaccharides, phosphopeptides, and lipids. Sample preparation methods for AP-MALDI mass spectrometry are relatively simple, rapid and can be easily automated for high throughput sample analysis. AP-MALDI MS/MS analysis has been successfully utilized to identify the presence of different types of bioagents such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), spores of several Bacilli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), ovalbumin, and Clostridium botulinum Neurotoxin Type A in environmental samples. AP-MALDI imaging mass spectrometry is an emerging technique for direct analysis of biological tissue sections that can be useful for profiling spatial distribution of drugs, peptides and proteins in tissue sections of plants, animals, and humans.