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Cross-Platform Assessment of Sub-50 nm Nanopipette Emitters for Native Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Preprint Created on 23 May 2026 bioRxiv

Native mass spectrometry (nMS) is well established for measuring protein masses and stoichiometries using nano-electrospray ionization (nESI), yet salt adduction and source activation energies can limit routine measurements. In this study, we benchmark submicron quartz nanopipette nESI emitters (<50 nm internal diameter) across three mass spectrometry platforms (quadrupole-time-of-flight, quadrupole-Orbitrap, and tribrid-Orbitrap platforms) and a wide protein mass range (17-800 kDa). We analysed holo-myoglobin (17 kDa) over a range of concentrations (10 M-10 nM) and capillary voltages to determine limits of detection and define a gentle operating regime. We additionally observe reduced Na+ adduction and preservation of the Zn2+ bound metalloproteoform of carbonic anhydrase II (29 kDa). Proteins and protein complexes spanning the mid-to-high mass range including ovalbumin (~44 kDa), malate dehydrogenase (~70 kDa), glutamate dehydrogenase (~350 kDa), {beta}-galactosidase (~465 kDa), and GroEL (~800 kDa), were readily detected using nanopipette emitters. Compared with conventional 1-2 m internal diameter borosilicate emitters, quartz nanopipettes provided higher signal-to-noise ratios and fewer adducts. Finally, direct analysis of clarified bacterial lysate expressing -synuclein yielded a clear monomeric charge-state distribution, demonstrating compatibility with complex biological matrices. Collectively, these results establish quartz nanopipette nESI as an instrument-portable, salt-tolerant approach suitable for routine nMS analysis across a broad range of protein molecular weights and sample complexities.

Byrd, E. J., Olivares, E. J., Heidersbach, Z. J., Kensil, M., Wuyang, L., Melani, R. D., Actis, P., Loo, R. R. O., Sobott, F., Calabrese, A. N., Loo, J. A.

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