Mass Spectrometer
AssigneeMicromass UK Limited
InventorsRichard Denny, Keith Richardson, John Skilling
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mass spectrometer and method of mass spectrometry are disclosed wherein two separate samples are mass analysed and then the relative intensity, concentration or expression level of one or more components, molecules or analytes in a first sample is quantitated relative to the intensity, concentration or expression level of one or more components, molecules or analytes in a second sample. The relative quantitation is performed probabilistically without the need to resort to using internal calibrants.
Claims54
A method of mass spectrometry comprising:
- providing a first sample comprising a first mixture of components, molecules or analytes;
- providing a second different sample comprising a second mixture of components, molecules or analytes;
- and
- probabilistically determining or quantifying the relative intensity, concentration or expression level of a component, molecule or analyte in said first sample relative to the intensity, concentration or expression level of a component, molecule or analyte in said second sample.
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A mass spectrometer comprising means arranged to probabilistically determine or quantify the relative intensity, concentration or expression level of a component, molecule or analyte in a first sample relative to the intensity, concentration or expression level of a component, molecule or analyte in a second sample.
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A method of relatively quantifying one or more molecular species among several samples, said method comprising:
- dividing each sample into multiple replicate samples;
- for each of said replicate samples obtaining a signal for each of several tentatively identified digestion products of said molecular species in question, wherein the signal is proportional to the concentration of the parent species subject to random noise;
- obtaining or assigning probabilities that each tentative identification is correct;
- assigning a prior probability distribution function for the relative amount L of each molecular species in each sample;
- assigning a prior probability distribution function for the relative amount k of digestion product produced from each molecular species;
- assigning a prior probability distribution function for the relative amount h of sample for each replicate sample;
- assigning a prior probability distribution function for the noise level G in each sample;
- choosing an internal standard wherein the concentration of said internal standard is known to be the same in all of said replicate samples;
- updating the probability distribution for the relative amount L of each molecular species in each sample;
- obtaining samples according to said probability distribution for the relative amount L of each molecular species in each sample of a monotonic function of the ratios L_i to L_j for every distinct pair i,j of said replicate samples;
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- calculating a mean value and standard deviation of the function for each of said pairs.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.