Development of a Linear Ion Trap/Orthogonal-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer for Time-Dependent Observation of Product Ions by Ultraviolet Photodissociation of Peptide Ions

A hybrid linear ion trap/orthogonal time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer has been developed to observe time-dependent vacuum ultraviolet photodissociation product ions. In this apparatus, a reflectron TOF mass analyzer is orthogonally interfaced to an LTQ using rf-only octopole and dc quadrupole ion guides. Precursor ions are generated by electrospray ionization and isolated in the ion trap. Subsequently they are directed to the TOF source where photodissociation occurs and product ions are extracted for mass analysis. To detect photodissociation product ions having axially divergent trajectories, a large rectangular detector is utilized. With variation of the time between photodissociation and orthogonal extraction in the TOF source, product ions formed over a range of times after photoexcitation can be sampled. Time-dependent observation of product ions following 157 nm photodissociation of a singly charged tryptic peptide ion (NWDAG-FGR) showed that prompt photofragment ions (x- and v-type ions) dominate the tandem mass spectrum up to 1 μs after the laser shot, but the intensities of low energy thermal fragment ions (y-type ions) become comparable several microseconds later. Different proton mobilization time scales were observed for arginine- and lysine-terminated tryptic peptides.