TAKING MALDI-TOF MS TO NEW LEVELS

Shimadzu Biotech’s new AXIMA-CFR™ plus offers enhanced resolution and mass accuracy to high throughput proteomics

18 September 2002. Building on the strengths of the AXIMA-CFR™, Shimadzu Biotech’s new AXIMA-CFR™plus offers performance levels previously only possible on large workstation-like systems. A number of new features have been added to this latest addition to the AXIMA™ range of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometers, providing significantly improved mass resolution and accuracy, which are crucial for protein identification by peptide mass fingerprinting. A modified ion gate that enables deflection of low mass matrix ions, a new reflectron detector and an ultra-fast (2GHz) transient recorder are amongst the enhancements made.

The AXIMA-CFR™plus has a resolution specification of more than 20,000, doubling that of the original AXIMA-CFR™. This significant improvement in both resolution and mass accuracy has been achieved without compromising sensitivity, as it is not dependent on instrument tuning for individual samples.

The modified ion gate for “beam blanking”, which retains the high performance precursor selection for generating Seamless PSD™, can also be used for broad mass range selection. For example, selecting a mass range of 700 to 4000 Da, (typically used for acquiring peptide mass fingerprints), allows low mass matrix ions to be deflected for improved sensitivity, but also defines an upper limit for data acquisition. This means smaller data files are generated, and the user benefits from more economical use of computer space in gathering high-volume bioinformation. “Beam blanking” also has the additional benefit of reducing costs by extending the life of the detector, particularly in high throughput applications.

It is the patented curved field reflectron in the AXIMA-CFR™ and the AXIMA-CFR™ plus that makes these instruments unique. Fully automated seamless PSD can be achieved in less than a minute and in a single acquisition, minimising the use of precious samples and avoiding the laborious stitching together of spectra necessary in other reflectron systems. The AXIMA-CFR™ plus has been enhanced for low mass PSD fragmentation by enabling software controlled CID fragmentation. Responding to the increasing demand for automation, a new stage design for biochips and robot auto-loading will also be introduced.

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For more information, please contact:

Shimadzu Biotech
Tetsuo Ichikawa, Chairman
Fax: +81-75-823-1364
Tel: +81-75-823-1148
email: tichi@shimadzu.co.jp
Website: http://www.shimadzu.co.jp

Chris Sutton, MALDI Business Manager
Fax: +44 (0)161 888 4402 ext 228
Tel: +44 (0)161 888 4400
email: chris.sutton@kratos.co.uk
Website: http://www.shimadzu-biotech.net

For press information, please contact:

HCC De Facto Group plc
Richard Anderson
Tel: +44 (0)20 7496 3300
Fax: +44 (0)20 7496 3355
email: r.anderson@hccdefacto.com