Chemistry
How to Interpret MALDI-TOF Mass Spectra for Biomolecule Analysis
Quick fact
In MALDI-TOF, molecules are usually ionized by adding a single proton, so the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) is essentially the intact molecular mass, unlike ESI which yields multiple charge states.
Why this is interesting
You may have seen a mass spectrum of a protein with a single dominant peak, but did you know that each peak’s position tells you the exact mass of the molecule?