High-resolution electrospray mass spectrometry system coupled to liquid chromatography

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: Funded in 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 540643320

High-resolution mass spectrometry coupled to liquid chromatography (LC-MS) is a key technology for proteome analysis in the molecular life sciences including biomedicine. To meet the strong demand for high-end MS-based proteomics analysis at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU), a state-of-the-art liquid chromatography (LC)-MS instrument together with a liquid handling system for automated sample processing are requested. The tandem MS (MS/MS) instrument features higher-energy collisional dissociation and a high-resolution orbitrap mass analyzer that together enable the accurate identification of peptides and post-translational modifications at high sensitivity and fast scan speed. The LC-MS system is particularly suitable for quantitative proteomics studies applying label-free approaches, stable isotope labelling methods, or isobaric tandem mass tagging technology. Depending on the scientific question and project objectives that need to be addressed, the MS instrument provides exploratory data-dependent MS/MS analysis, parallel reaction monitoring for targeted peptide analysis or data-independent MS/MS analysis for accurate peptide/protein quantification across multiple samples. It is equipped with an ion-mobility MS interface that increases the overall spectra quality and decreases maintenance downtime by pre-filtering and removing background ions before entering the MS instrument. The requested liquid handling system is essential for most efficient and highly reproducible processing of a high number of different samples from the applicants and numerous collaboration partners at the JMU and beyond. The whole instrumental set-up is of central importance for establishing a cutting-edge bioanalytical MS technology platform at the Biocenter of the JMU. It will provide essential technology for high-end proteomics, which will further advance molecular research in the life sciences and medicine at the JMU.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Hochauflösendes Elektrospray-Massenspektrometrie System gekoppelt an Flüssigkeitschromatografie
• Instrumentation Group: 1700 Massenspektrometer
• Applicant Institution: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
• Leader: Professorin Dr. Bettina Warscheid