Matrix-free laser desorption/ionization of ions landed on plasma-treated metal surfaces

We report new experiments in which laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOF-MS) was applied to detection and characterization of gramicidin S and IgG pentapeptide (DSDPR) that were reactively landed on plasma-treated stainless steel surfaces. The distributions of [M+H](+), [M+Na](+) and [M + K](+) ion species in LDI-TOF for gramicidin S and IgG pentapeptide (DSDPR) were found to be markedly different from those in conventional MALDI-TOF spectra of the same samples. LDI-TOF mass spectra showed a strong preference for [M+K](+) adducts even in the presence of a large excess of sodium cations, or following surface treatment with trifluoroacetic acid. Alkali metal cations (K(+) and Cs(+)) can be exchanged in reactively landed peptide samples to provide the corresponding cationized peptide ions by LDI. Multiple charged trypsin cations were reactively landed into a layer of 2-(4-hydroxyphenylazo)benzoic acid and ionized by LDI. The ionization mechanisms for LDI of surface-deposited peptides are briefly discussed.