MATRIX-ASSISTED LASER DESORPTION IONISATION MASS-SPECTROMETRY OF TRANSFER-RIBONUCLEIC-ACIDS ISOLATED FROM YEAST/

tRNA(Tyr) and tRNA(Ser) purified from bulk brewer's yeast tRNA were su bjected to analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation tim e-of-flight mass spectrometry. Choosing a mixture of 2,4,6- and 2,3,4- trihydroxyacetophenone and diammonium citrate as matrix a mass resolut ion of up to 220 (FWHM) was achieved in the linear mode of operation. Cation adduct suppression by addition of cation exchange beads and a c helating agent (CDTA) is shown to substantially improve mass resolutio n for this class of molecules.