Conclusion:
By taking advantage of the high resolving  power and mass accuracy of the Thermo Scientific MALDI LTQ Orbitrap XL hybrid mass spectrometer. We have developed a simple, fast, and reliable workflow for profiling N-linked glycans. It combines the  benefits of MALDI LTQ Orbitrap technology with the homogeneity of sample distribution throughout the crystal layer provided by the DHB/DMA matrix. The high mass accuracy and mass resolution provided by the Orbitrap detector enables confident structural discrimination without the aid of tandem MS. In addition, ions are produced with sufficient abundance for further characterization, if needed. The ability to profile both sialylated and asialylated glycans with a single ionization mode in MALDI experiments introduces a previously lacking practicality into the workflow. This ability is useful in determining the degree of silaylation relative to overall glycan composition. Finally, more glycans were identified and characterized using the DHB/DMA matrix, than the much studied DHB matrix.

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