Abstract: The invention relates to mass spectrometers with optically pumped lasers, whose laser light can be used for ionization by laser desorption, for the fragmentation of ions by photodissociation (PD), for the initiation of ion reactions, and for other purposes. The invention provides a laser system for a mass spectrometer, with which at least two laser beams of different wavelengths can be generated for use at different points along an ion path from an ion source to an ion detector in the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mass spectrometer, comprising an ion guide having a plurality of electrodes that are supplied with a radio frequency voltage to facilitate radial confinement of ions in an internal volume defined by inward facing surfaces of the electrodes, the internal volume including a first section having a variable radial diameter along a longitudinal axis of the ion guide, in which the electrodes are helically wound, and an adjacent second section having a substantially constant radial diameter along the longitudinal axis, wherein the electrodes extend from the first section to the second section continuously. The continuous nature of the ion guide electrodes facilitates in particular unhindered axial propagation of ions through the assembly and prevents ion losses during their transmission through different compartments of the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for the mass spectrometric analysis of microbes, in particular to a transfer method of microbes that are required to be identified from agar plates onto mass spectrometric sample supports and their preparation for ionization by matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI). Microbes from microcolonies which have grown on the agar plates after a culture time of only six to eight hours are transferred with a high transfer yield onto contact surfaces of suitable size by direct contact and cell disrupted on the contact surface; the released proteins are prepared with matrix material on the contact surface as MALDI samples. The ionization by matrix-assisted laser desorption also takes place on the contact surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to the cell disruption of microbes and the preparation of the microbe proteins for mass spectrometric analysis. The cells of microbes from microcolonies are disrupted by physical or chemical means directly on the nutrient medium. The released proteins are then transferred to sample supports by direct contact with their contact surfaces; electrophoresis can be used for assistance. Once the the proteins are firmly adsorbed on the contact surfaces, they can be washed with water in order to remove substances which interfere with the ionization process. For analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI), the proteins are prepared on the contact surfaces of the sample supports with matrix substances to form MALDI samples; the sample supports are then introduced into a MALDI mass spectrometer for the acquisition of the mass spectra. The microbes are identified by similarity comparisons between the mass spectra of the microbe proteins and similarly obtained reference spectra.