title: Metabolite profiling by direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry.
abstract: Untargeted metabolite profiling is a discovery tool for the identification of metabolites associated with the responses of perturbations to biological systems, such as a disease. Direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry (DART MS) promises to be a powerful analytical technique for high-throughput metabolome analysis of human blood sera. Here, we describe the steps involved in untargeted blood sera metabolic profiling experiments using DART MS with two different sample introduction methods: probe-mode and transmission-mode geometries. Information regarding the optimization of different DART parameters that directly affect metabolite desorption and ionization, which thus influence sensitivity, is included.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: María Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Monge
authors.forename: Facundo M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Fernández
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D055442:Metabolome; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D044967:Serum / Q000378:metabolism*