MRI: Acquisition of a high-sensitivity triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for the Kansas Lipidomics Research Center

堪萨斯脂组学研究中心（KLRC）将获得一台高灵敏度电喷雾电离三重四极杆质谱仪，该质谱仪具有超高效液相色谱系统，该分析实验室为来自世界各地的科学家进行基于质谱的脂质分析。脂质分析（分析）所需的配件包括一个自动进样器和一个用于样品导入的大容量注射泵，以及一个提供质谱数据处理能力的服务器。协调员/操作员将安排和维护仪器，并协调其使用，以确保访问，优先考虑那些项目需要分析灵敏度或高灵敏度质谱仪可以提供的高通量的科学家。所要求的仪器是Waters Xevo TQ-S，其灵敏度至少是KLRC在2003年和2006年获得的三重四极杆质谱仪的40倍。获得高灵敏度电喷雾电离三重四极杆质谱仪将大大增加KLRC？S检测和开发稀有化合物分析的能力，包括以前未描述的脂类，并将提供分离和检测异构体化合物的能力。计划的项目研究植物、动物和/或原生动物中脂质和脂质代谢、转运、信号基因和基因产物的功能。基于质谱的脂质分析或脂质组学尚未达到其作为分析工具的最终潜力，因为有效进行脂质分析的方法、材料和计算资源并不方便获得。作为该项目的一部分，KLRC人员将帮助希望在其机构实施脂质组学分析的科学家。特别是，KLRC将提供样品制备、质谱方法和在线数据处理系统使用的协议。KLRC将在可行的情况下共享标准化合物，并向在其机构中建立脂质组学分析方案的人员提供基于网络的培训和咨询。堪萨斯脂组学研究中心获得的高灵敏度三重四极杆质谱仪和附件将增强或使来自美国8个州和3个国家的15个实验室的研究人员提出和正在进行的科学计划成为可能。高灵敏度仪器也将提供给新的用户和200多个过去和现在的KLRC分析用户。使用急需的高灵敏度电喷雾电离三重四极杆质谱仪将直接影响和促进15个研究项目的20名博士后学员、32名研究生和47名本科生的科学训练。受益的本科生将包括来自历史悠久的黑人兰斯顿大学的九名学生，他们正在一个正在进行的项目中分析光应激反应中的脂质。来自马萨诸塞州和中国的学员将访问KLRC进行实践培训。堪萨斯州立大学将开设一门适合研究生和高年级本科生的关于脂质组学技术的新讲座和实验课程。使用高灵敏度三重四极杆质谱仪及其附件，将研究动物、植物和其他生物中脂质和脂质相关代谢和信号的功能。一些植物生物学家将使用该仪器来描述和功能表征植物对环境胁迫和发育过程中发生的脂质代谢事件，包括调节种子油生产的事件。新仪器还将帮助科学家识别组织损伤的介质，并定义转运蛋白的“底物”。仪器提供的发现和量化低浓度脂质的能力，将通过揭示对理解代谢和信号通路具有变革性的信息，不断为正在进行和未来的项目增加价值。

A high-sensitivity electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with an ultra-performance liquid chromatography system will be acquired for the Kansas Lipidomics Research Center (KLRC), an analytical laboratory performing mass spectrometry-based lipid analysis for scientists from all over the world. Accessories required for lipid profiling (analysis) include a robotic autosampler and a high-volume syringe pump for sample introduction and a server to provide mass spectral data processing capabilities. A coordinator/operator will schedule and maintain the instrument and coordinate its use to ensure access, giving priority to scientists whose projects require analytical sensitivity or the high throughput that a high-sensitivity mass spectrometer can provide. The requested instrument, a Waters Xevo TQ-S, is at least 40-fold more sensitive than triple quadrupole mass spectrometers acquired by KLRC in 2003 and 2006. Acquisition of a high-sensitivity electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometer will dramatically increase KLRC?s ability to detect and develop analyses for scarce compounds, including previously undescribed lipids, and will provide capability to separate and detect isomeric compounds. Planned projects investigate the functions of lipids and lipid metabolizing, transporting, and signaling genes and gene products in plants, animals, and/or protozoa. Mass spectrometry-based lipid analysis, or lipidomics, has not reached its ultimate potential as an analytical tool, because the methods, materials, and computational resources to effectively carry out lipid profiling are not conveniently available. As part of this project, KLRC personnel will aid scientists who wish to implement lipidomics analyses at their institutions. In particular, KLRC will provide protocols for sample preparation, mass spectral methods, and use of an online data processing system. KLRC will share standard compounds, as feasible, and deliver web-based training and consultation to those setting up lipidomics analytical protocols at their institutions. Acquisition of the high-sensitivity triple quadrupole mass spectrometer and accessories by the Kansas Lipidomics Research Center will enhance or enable proposed and ongoing scientific plans of researchers from fifteen laboratories in eight U.S. states and three countries. The high-sensitivity instrument also will be made available to new users and over 200 past and current KLRC analytical users. Use of the much-needed, high-sensitivity electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometer will directly impact and advance the scientific training of 20 postdoctoral trainees, 32 graduate students, and 47 undergraduates in 15 research programs. The benefited undergraduates will include nine students from historically Black Langston University who are analyzing lipids during light stress responses in an ongoing project. Trainees from Massachusetts and China will visit KLRC for hands-on training. A new lecture and laboratory course on lipidomic technologies, suitable for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students, will be offered at Kansas State University. Using the high-sensitivity triple quadrupole mass spectrometer and accessories, functions of lipids and lipid-related metabolism and signaling will be investigated in animals, plants, and other organisms. Several plant biologists will use the instrument to delineate and functionally characterize the lipid metabolic events that occur during plant responses to environmental stress and during development, including events that regulate the production of seed oils. The new instrument also will aid scientists identifying mediators of tissue injury and defining "substrates" for transport proteins. The ability, provided by the instrumentation, to discover and quantify low-concentration lipids will consistently add value to ongoing and future projects by revealing information that will be transformative in understanding metabolic and signaling pathways.