High-end ion mobility mass spectrometry: A current review of analytical capacity in omics applications and structural investigations

Mass spectrometry-based biomolecular analyses have become permanent fixtures of academic, indus-trial, and clinical research settings. The rise in utilization of mass spectrometry has, in turn, spurred on a technological arms race, with every major vendor seeking to provide instrumentation that is more sensitive, higher in resolution, or may otherwise offer fundamental advantages during analysis. Enabling higher sensitivity, increased instrumental duty cycle, reduced analysis time and lower sample re-quirements, gas phase ion separation techniques now provide a fourth dimension of analysis, enabling rapid structural characterization and high throughput-omics profiling in a single run. Presented here is a current review of the latest iterations and applications of high-end ion-mobility enabled instrumenta-tion, the Agilent 6560 IM-QTOF, Waters Cyclic, Bruker timsTOF, and Thermo FAIMS Pro instrument platforms. Describing their engineering developments and analytical successes over the past two de-cades, we highlight notable advantages and considerations for novice and experienced biomolecular researchers alike.(c) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Mass spectrometry-based biomolecular analyses have become popular in research settings. Gas phase ion separation techniques provide a fourth dimension of analysis, enabling rapid characterization and high throughput profiling. This review highlights the latest developments and applications of high-end ion-mobility enabled instruments and their advantages for biomolecular research.