LC-MS System’s Tri-Configuration Enables Outstanding Depth of Analysis

Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Fusion Tribrid liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system, integrating its three mass analysers  — quadrupole, Orbitrap and linear ion trap — in a Tribrid architecture that offers a significant increase in depth of analysis of complex biological samples.

One way the Orbitrap Fusion system addresses throughput challenges is through tandem mass tags (TMT). This technique enables mass spectrometers to determine relative quantification of proteins in multiple samples simultaneously. The Orbitrap Fusion’s depth and quality of data allows for exceptional TMT results. According to Thermo Fisher, the new platform takes advantage of MS3 selectivity to improve quantitative accuracy and can collect twice as many MS3 scans per unit time at significantly greater sensitivity than previously possible. New TMT reagents are also available, allowing comprehensive, simultaneous analysis of up to 10 samples.

 At the heart of the Orbitrap Fusion LC-MS is a configuration of three different mass analysers that work together to raise analytical performance:  

• a quadrupole for precursor selection at isolation widths down to 0.4 amu for excellent sensitivity and selectivity

• an ultra-high-field Orbitrap offering resolution in excess of 450,000 and scan rates up to 15 Hz for exceptional selectivity and speed of analysis

• an ion routing multipole followed by dual-pressure linear ion trap, providing MSn HCD, CID and ETD fragmentations and fast, sensitive mass analysis with scan rates of up to 20 Hz.

This Tribrid configuration allows users to positively identify large numbers of low-abundance proteins incredibly fast. Its architecture enables simultaneous precursor isolation, fragmentation and data acquisition in both the Orbitrap and linear ion trap mass analysers. More high-quality data can be collected, expanding the range of possible experiments.

The ability to choose between fragmentation modes at any stage of MSn analysis with detection by the Orbitrap or linear ion trap analyser reportedly makes possible a range of novel experiments to achieve a new level of structural information from metabolites, glycans, post-translational modifications and sequence polymorphisms.

In typical metabolomics experiments, scientists frequently encounter unknowns along with target compounds. To identify the unknowns, the sample must be rerun on an LC-linear ion trap instrument to obtain MSn data, although it is difficult to match chromatography retention time on the second run, introducing substantial uncertainty. With its three mass analyser configuration, the new Orbitrap Fusion Tribrid LC-MS addresses this problem, offering users the ability to transform many small molecule experiments by conclusively identifying unknowns as they are encountered.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., +1 408 965 6408, stu.matlow@thermofisher.com, www.thermofisher.com.