Equipment
UniMS operates within ITQB/iBET and functions as a node of the Portuguese Mass Spectrometry Network (RNEM). Housed in ITQB building since 2014 and in iBET Biofarma building since June 2023, this state-of-the-art facility was specifically designed to accommodate the unit’s advanced mass spectrometry systems.
The following equipment are available at UniMS:
ZenoTOF
SCIEX, 7600 model
SCIEX, 7600 model
The ZenoTOF 7600 system is an accurate mass spectrometry solution that combines powerful MS/MS sensitivity, innovative fragmentation technology, and a step-change in data-independent acquisition (DIA). The Zeno trap enables MS/MS sensitivity gains by overcoming QTOF MS/MS duty cycle deficiencies. The Zeno SWATH-DIA delivers a high depth of coverage, particularly on low-abundance species. Besides collision-induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation, the ZenoTOF 7600 includes tunable electron activated dissociation (EAD) fragmentation which allows a deeper product characterization, from singly charged small molecules to large multiply charged proteins.
TripleTOF combined with SelexION™ Technology
SCIEX, 6600 model
The SCIEX TripleTOF 6600 mass spectrometer is coupled to the Ekspert nanoLC 425 with micro and nano flow capabilities. This high-performance system offers broader linear dynamic range, wide mass range, enhanced mass accuracy stability, and superior mass resolution and speed. Combined with SWATH Acquisition it can deliver high-resolution quantification and rapid profiling, detecting virtually every peptide in the sample. The SCIEX SelexION™ Technology improves data quality in the quantitation and characterization of challenging biological samples.
QTOF
SCIEX, X500B model
This compact QTOF high-resolution system is a true benchtop platform capable of high-throughput intact mass analysis and peptide mapping. The association with the intuitive SCIEX OS platform, BioPharmaView™ and Biologics Explorer™ Software makes this system especially suited for biologics characterization. It enables a complete Multiple Attribute Methodology (MAM) Workflow, that allows defining, tracking, and quantifying product quality attributes as well as specified contaminants (including Host Cell Protein (HCP) analysis) or finding new unspecified product impurities.
QTRAP
SCIEX, 6500+ model
The Sciex QTRAP 6500+ merges triple quadrupole and linear ion trap technologies to obtain high levels of sensitivity and selectivity with detector dynamic range. This performance results in low LODs and LOQs in complex matrices and a linear quantification of small molecules and peptides with up to 6 orders of magnitude. The Sciex QTRAP has an additional advantage in selectivity: the ability to achieve MS/MS/MS (or MRM3) quantification by selecting and quantifying the fragment of a fragment ion.
CESI
SCIEX, 8000 Plus model
This capillary electrophoresis (CE) instrument can be used as a standalone or coupled with the mass spectrometer (TripleTOF 6600), with the ESI module and OptiMS technology, achieving enhanced sensitivity and coverage with the ultra-low flow (<10 nL/min). Small sample amounts can be injected, down to the nanoliter range, or a specific set of charged molecules can be injected through electrokinetic injection. There is a variety of information that can be obtained from this equipment, namely: Proteoforms & Peptide post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as those with multiple phosphorylation sites; Intact monoclonal antibodies (mAb) charge variants; Native protein conformation and interactions under native conditions; Isobaric metabolites and glycans; Challenging charged & polar metabolites/degradation products such as anionic and/or hydrophilic analytes.
This capillary electrophoresis (CE) instrument can be used as a standalone or coupled with the mass spectrometer (TripleTOF 6600), with the ESI module and OptiMS technology, achieving enhanced sensitivity and coverage with the ultra-low flow (<10 nL/min). Small sample amounts can be injected, down to the nanoliter range, or a specific set of charged molecules can be injected through electrokinetic injection. There is a variety of information that can be obtained from this equipment, namely: Proteoforms & Peptide post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as those with multiple phosphorylation sites; Intact monoclonal antibodies (mAb) charge variants; Native protein conformation and interactions under native conditions; Isobaric metabolites and glycans; Challenging charged & polar metabolites/degradation products such as anionic and/or hydrophilic analytes.
Orbitrap™ Q Exactive™ Hybrid Quadrupole
ThermoFisher, Focus model
The Q-Exactive mass spectrometer combines quadrupole precursor selection with ultra high-resolution analysis (70,000 at m/z 200) to produce high-sensitivity and accurate-mass detection, a wide linear dynamic range and confident identification. The fast polarity switching enables the identification of more classes of compounds in a single analysis. This instrument can perform both targeted and untargeted screening, in several quantification approaches, including Full-scan data-dependent MS/MS (FS-ddMS2) acquisition (Top3); Variable data-independent acquisition (vDIA); Selected-ion monitoring (SIM); Parallel-reaction monitoring (PRM).
ThermoFisher, Focus model
The Q-Exactive mass spectrometer combines quadrupole precursor selection with ultra high-resolution analysis (70,000 at m/z 200) to produce high-sensitivity and accurate-mass detection, a wide linear dynamic range and confident identification. The fast polarity switching enables the identification of more classes of compounds in a single analysis. This instrument can perform both targeted and untargeted screening, in several quantification approaches, including Full-scan data-dependent MS/MS (FS-ddMS2) acquisition (Top3); Variable data-independent acquisition (vDIA); Selected-ion monitoring (SIM); Parallel-reaction monitoring (PRM).
MALDI TOF/TOF
SCIEX, 5800 model
SCIEX, 5800 model
This system is a tandem time-of-flight (TOF) MS/MS system with soft ionization (matrix-assisted laser ionization). This ionization source is coupled to a TOF mass analyzer including a reflectron for high-resolution mass measurements. The MALDI-TOF/TOF is mainly used for protein identification from SDS-PAGE or 2D-gel electrophoresis. And allows for ESI-complementary sample analysis and mass spectrometry imaging.
