Proteomics encompasses the identification and differential expression of proteins, protein-protein interactions, and structural and functional protein analysis.
MALDI is a very sensitive technique for determining the mass of proteins, peptides, or polymers. Protein masses are an identity of proteins and thus help in proteomics. Thus MALDI allows protein identification.
It is the first choice when it comes to protein study. Proteins, peptides, and polymers are fragile and tend to fragment when ionized by other ionization techniques.
MALDI is attached to a time of flight (TOF) analyzer which measures the time it takes for the molecules to travel a fixed distance. MALDI is a soft ionization technique in which a short laser pulse, instead of the continuous laser, of nitrogen gas usually around 237 nm is used to ionize molecules.
