MS beginner - help please

[andi.bio]

Our lab intends to buy a mass spectrometer and I need a little help. We want to study protein posttranslational modification and protein sequenceing and I don't what kind o mass spectrometer I need for that (MALDI, TOF, etc, etc). All I know is that I nees a liquid chromatography combined with the mass spectrometer.
Could someone give me o little help with this ?

I would like to know exactly what is the difference between these MS systems and what applications are they used for. I found only general information on the internet that helped, but not very much. I would also like to know which brand of MS system is best (perheaps some who has worked with diffrent brands of MS systems could answer this).

[danfive]

Try Applied Biosystems, or even Thermo. I've used MALDI-TOF to look at glycosylated and phosphorylated peptides, and the lab down the hall can do the same (plus a bit more) with LC-MS/MS. MALDI-TOF does not use liquid chromatography--although adaptations can be made to most machines. What you need is LC-MS/MS or LC-ESI-MS/MS. ESI stands for electrospray ionization.

[ylu]

I would prefer Thermo Finnigan LCQ, not just I use their LCQ Advantage for my proteomics work and other metabolics study. This company It works well. But if the budget allows, just go for the more sensitive or higher model of Thermo Finnigan, say, LTQ. It can do both top down (whole protein) and bottom up (shot gun, MS/MS) protomics, which improve the detections or identification of proteins.

[marcus^^]

er...i am pretty new on MS as well~~
but are you going to purchase 1 whole set of new MS system? or just wish to upgrade your LC with a MS detector compliance?
i a new set, i think MALDI-TOF-MS, MALDI Synapt ms/ hdms , Q-ToF or thermo finnigan LCQ
if just simply upgrading your current LC, then ESI MS MS should be your choice

[ylu]

LC system and MS detector can be separated when purchase, if you have a LC system already in the lab. Then it can be coupled to the MS detector by some configurations via computer. If want a new LC system, Thermo Finnigan also provides the LC system with the MS detector together. But do consider if the LC system has the ability or can be upgraded to maintain a high pressure for micro, even nano flow analysis, which is more the cases in proteomic application.