Maldi

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is a soft ionization technique used in mass spectrometry, allowing the analysis of biomolecules (biopolymers such as proteins, peptides and sugars) and large organic molecules (such as polymers, dendrimers and other macromolecules), which tend to be fragile and fragment when ionized by more conventional ionization methods. It is most similar in character to electrospray ionization both in relative softness and the ions produced (although it causes many fewer multiply charged ions).

The ionization is triggered by a laser beam (normally a nitrogen laser). A matrix is used to protect the biomolecule from being destroyed by direct laser beam and to facilitate vaporization and ionization.

Mass Spectometry

The type of a mass spectrometer most widely used with MALDI is the TOF (time-of-flight mass spectrometer), mainly due to its large mass range. The TOF measurement procedure is also ideally suited to the MALDI ionization process since the pulsed laser takes individual 'shots' rather than working in continuous operation. MALDI-TOF instruments are typically equipped with an "ion mirror", deflecting ions with an electric field, thereby doubling the ion flight path and increasing the resolution. Today, commercial reflectron TOF instruments reach a resolving power m/Δm of well above 20'000 FWHM (full-width half-maximum, Δm defined as the peak width at 50% of peak height).

MALDI has been coupled with IMS-TOF MS to identify phoshorylated and non-phosphorylated peptides .

MALDI-FT-ICR MS has been demonstrated to be a useful technique where high resolution MALDI-MS measurements are desired

Biochemistry

In proteomics, MALDI is used for the identification of proteins isolated through gel electrophoresis: SDS-PAGE, size exclusion chromatography, and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. One method used is peptide mass fingerprinting by MALDI-MS, or with post ionisation decay or collision-induced dissociation (further use see mass spectrometry).

Loss of sialic acid has been identified in papers when DHB has been used as a matrix for MALDI MS analysis of glycosylated peptides. Using sinapinic acid, 4-HCCA and DHB as matrices, Dr. Martin studied loss of sialic acid in glycosylated peptides by metastable decay in MALDI/TOF in linear mode and reflector mode . A group at SHIMIZU CORPORATION proposed derivitizing the sialic acid by an amidation reaction as a way to improve results  and also proposed use of an Ionic liquid matrix to reduce loss of sialic acid during MALDI/TOF MS analysis of sialylated oligosaccharides . THAP , DHAP , and a mixture of 2-aza-2-thiothymine and phenylhydrazine have been identified as matrices that could be used to minimize loss of sialic acid during MALDI MS analysis of glycosylated peptides.

It has been reported that a reduction in loss of some post-translational modifications can be accomplished if IR MALDI is used instead of UV MALDI