Nano LC-MS Columns (Customized Specifications)

 

To ensure data accuracy and reproducibility, laboratories often require highly specific and customized chromatographic solutions. Addressing this need, MtoZ Biolabs offers Nano LC-MS columns (Customized Specifications) services tailored to diverse experimental requirements. Columns can be designed and manufactured with specific inner diameters, lengths, and particle sizes, empowering researchers to achieve higher sensitivity and more reliable quantification in protein quantitation, structural analysis, and functional studies.

 

Product Overview

The Nano LC-MS columns customization service launched by MtoZ Biolabs is mainly aimed at life science laboratories that require high sensitivity and low loss analysis, especially deep proteomic analysis and micro sample detection. MtoZ Biolabs' Nano LC columns feature the following advantages:

 

1. Flexible and Customizable Specifications

Column length (typically ranging from 5 cm to 30 cm), inner diameter (e.g., 75 µm, 150 µm), and particle size (1.9 µm, 3 µm, or other specified sizes) can be customized according to client needs.

 

2. High-Purity Packing Material

Utilizes high-purity, highly spherical particles to ensure excellent chromatographic resolution, sharp peak shapes, and superior reproducibility, providing robust signal support for downstream mass spectrometry analysis.

 

3. Durability and Stability

The columns maintain stable backpressure and flow performance under high-pressure conditions, significantly reducing the risk of operational failure and supporting extended continuous runs.

 

4. Multiple Stationary Phase Options

Offers a variety of bonded phases, including C18, C8, and polymer-based materials, to accommodate different protein and peptide separation requirements.

 

5. Rigorous Quality Control Process

From slurry packing to final product testing, each column is manufactured under strict and comprehensive QC standards to ensure consistent and reliable performance.

 

Protocol

To maximize the performance of Nano LC columns, users may follow the operational guidelines below:

 

1. Instrument Preparation

Perform standard pre-cleaning and inspection of the Nano LC system (commonly EASY-nLC, Eksigent, or UPLC Nano systems) to ensure that solvents and tubing are free from residual contaminants.

 

2. Column Installation

(1) Carefully unpack the Nano LC column to avoid physical impact or contamination at the column ends.
(2) Use compatible fittings and PEEK tubing to securely connect the customized Nano LC column to the autosampler and mass spectrometer interface.
(3) Check fitting sizes and specifications before installation to prevent leakage or unstable backpressure due to mismatched components.

 

3. Equilibration and Activation

Depending on the bonded phase used (e.g., C18), flush the column with a high-organic solvent (e.g., 80% acetonitrile with 0.1% formic acid), then switch to the initial mobile phase (e.g., 2% acetonitrile with 0.1% formic acid) to equilibrate the column and activate the bonded surface.
It is recommended to gradually increase flow rate and pressure to allow the column to operate under stable conditions.

 

4. Sample Loading and Gradient Elution

(1) Prepare the test sample according to experimental requirements, ensuring proper sample processing (e.g., digestion, desalting) compatible with nano-scale injection.
(2) Perform gradient elution (e.g., from low to high organic phase) to separate peptides or protein components, and monitor signals using a mass spectrometry detection system.

 

5. Data Acquisition and Analysis

(1) Use appropriate software (e.g., Thermo Xcalibur, SCIEX Analyst) for data acquisition and MS scanning.
(2) Downstream data analysis can be conducted using bioinformatics software such as Proteome Discoverer or MaxQuant for quantification and identification.

 

6. Maintenance and Cleaning

(1) After the experiment, flush the column with a high-organic phase to remove residual compounds and extend column lifespan.
(2) Perform mild regeneration procedures (e.g., at low flow rates or according to manufacturer recommendations) as needed to ensure smooth operation for subsequent experiments.

 

Features and Benefits

1. Ultra-High Sensitivity

Nano-scale flow rates significantly reduce solvent consumption and enhance signal intensity of target molecules, enabling stable detection and quantification of proteins or peptides at extremely low concentrations.

 

2. Excellent Resolution

Utilizing high-purity packing materials and precise column-packing techniques, the column delivers sharp peak shapes, reduces peak overlap, and improves separation efficiency and detection accuracy for protein components.

 

3. Customized Services

MtoZ Biolabs provides personalized specifications tailored to specific experimental needs, supporting unique applications such as ultra-long columns or specialized stationary phases.

 

4. Minimized Sample Loss

With nano-flow rates and micro-volume injections, the column enables in-depth analysis even when working with precious or limited samples, improving overall data utilization.

 

5. Stable and Durable

Each column undergoes rigorous testing to ensure outstanding mechanical stability and chemical resistance, making it suitable for long-term continuous operation.

 

6. Technical Support and After-Sales Service

MtoZ Biolabs offers expert technical consultation and comprehensive after-sales support to help optimize experimental methods and resolve potential chromatographic or mass spectrometry-related issues.

 

Applications

1. Proteomics Research

Suitable for large-scale protein identification and quantitative analysis, especially for detecting low-abundance proteins in trace or complex samples.

 

2. Modified Protein Analysis

Enables precise quantification of post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation and glycosylation, aiding in the investigation of their regulatory roles in biological signaling pathways.

 

3. Biomarker Discovery

Used in clinical research to identify or validate trace proteins or peptides potentially associated with disease onset and progression.

 

4. Metabolomics and Lipidomics

Provides high-resolution separation of various small-molecule metabolites or lipid species, helping to explore their variation under different physiological and pathological conditions.

 

5. Drug Development and Quality Control

Assists pharmaceutical companies in performing sensitive and accurate mass spectrometry analysis of candidate molecules during drug screening and safety evaluation.

 

6. Other Cutting-Edge Fields

Applicable to diverse and advanced research areas such as synthetic biology, peptide synthesis, and interdisciplinary studies that demand deep separation and precise detection capabilities.