Mass Spectrometry Signal Amplification Method for Attomolar Detection of Antigens Using Small‐Molecule‐Tagged Gold Microparticles

Abstract

Small but more than enough: Proteins are detected in solution without additional amplification or labeling steps by using a small molecule as a reporter of the protein (see picture, Am-tag=amplification tag). The combination of self-assembled monolayers on gold with matrix-free laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry offers ultrahigh sensitivity with a detection limit of several attomoles. Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not copy-edited or typeset. They are made available as submitted by the authors. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.