Insights into modifiers effects in differential mobility spectrometry: A data science approach for metabolomics and peptidomics

Utilizing a data-driven approach, this study investigates modifier effects on compensation voltage in differential mobility spectrometry–mass spectrometry (DMS-MS) for metabolites and peptides. Our analysis uncovers specific factors causing signal suppression in small molecules and pinpoints both signal suppression mechanisms and the analytes involved. In peptides, machine learning models discern a relationship between molecular weight, topological polar surface area, peptide charge, and proton transfer-induced signal suppression. The models exhibit robust performance, offering valuable insights for the application of DMS to metabolites and tryptic peptides analysis by DMS-MS.