MALDI MS sample preparation by using paraffin wax film: systematic study and application for peptide analysis

Recently developed sample preparation techniques employing hydrophobic sample support have improved the detection sensitivity and mass spectral quality of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS). These methods concentrate the samples on target by minimizing the sample area via the solvent repellent effect of the target surface. In the current study, we employed the use of paraffin wax film (Parafilm M) for improved MALDI MS analysis of low-abundance peptide mixtures, including neuronal tissue releasate and protein tryptic digests. This thin film was found to strongly repel polar solvents including water, methanol, and acetonitrile, which enabled the application of a wide range of sample preparation protocols that involved the use of various organic solvents. A "nanoliter-volume deposition" technique employing a capillary column has been used to produce tiny ( approximately 400 microm) matrix spots of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid on the film. By systematically optimizing the sample volume, solvent composition, and film treatment, the Parafilm M substrate in combination with the nanoliter-volume matrix deposition method allowed dilute sample to be concentrated on the film for MALDI MS analysis. Peptide mixtures with nanomolar concentrations have been detected by MALDI time-of-flight and MALDI Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers. Overall, the use of Parafilm M enabled improved sensitivity and spectral quality for the analysis of complex peptide mixtures.