10 Mass Spectrometry and Its Applications
Blagojce Jovcevski and Tara L. Pukala
School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
10.1 Significance
Cellular function is underpinned by the complex interaction of a range of biomolecules, from small compounds including lipids, sugars and metabolites to macromolecules such as proteins, DNA and large carbohydrates. In order to gain deep knowledge of a biological function, it is not only imperative to identify the biomolecules involved but also to understand their structures at both elemental and three‐dimensional levels. It is also critical to have the capability to quantify their abundance and identify intermolecular associations with spatial and temporal control. Given these considerations, mass spectrometry (MS) has developed over recent decades to become a central technique in bioanalytical chemistry. Currently it is arguably the most sensitive, precise and rapid method for structural characterisation of analytes, particularly biomolecules, and unique amongst the structural biology methods in that it can report on all levels of biomolecular structure and dynamics. Given the analytical advantages of the technology, the use of mass spectrometers today is almost ubiquitous in analytical, commercial, research and academic laboratories. For example, they are used at airports to screen for traces of explosives, in clinical laboratories for diagnostics using plasma or urine and ...