Hi Firas,

I would not recommend you use X500R for proteomics research but somehow in metabolomics research. For your questions, the answers are below:

1. You can use conventional HPLC (Agilent, Shimadzu, Waters..) to connect X500R for metabolites, but you have to consider for protein study.

2. It really depends on what you would like to "see". You can say "X500R can do that" but consider "how much effective data it could provide".

3. This is a same question for 1 and 2. It can do that but somehow you have to a good sample preparation for any samples you would like to analysis. It also depends on good software to help.

you can use a q-exactive thermo orbitrap, which in the full scan or MSMS search allows a resolution of 100000 and coupled to a UHPLC. I got good results

1. Please keep in mind that the LC system largely determines the sensitivity of your experimentation. I.e., if you use an analytical LC, you will usually not be able to work with small amounts of protein samples. So keep in mind the flow rate regimes your LC can do. For being able to do proteomics work I would at least want an LC that can do micoflow (5-10 ul/min) gradients in addition to the standard (200-800 ul/min) gradients for analytical separations. In the same vein your MS should have ion source(s) that cover both ranges.

I would not suggest to go straight into nanoLC in case you do not have experience with that, but make sure the LC system can do microflow rates and inject small volumes. If that is provided you could use one system for both applications.

2. Ask the Sciex representative to show and explain to you application examples for both applications. If in doubt, ask for references of other customers successfully doing the two applications on this instrument.

3. In principle yes, but as said above it depends on the amounts of samples you can raise. If e.g. you can spare 50ul of plasma or serum per analysis, then doing proteomics from these body fluids should be OK on a regular LC/MS provide mass resoution and accuracy are good.

And 4. do insist on a list of suitable software packages for both applications. For Sciex instrumentation, their own ProteinPilot software for proteomics is good, but completely outdated unfortunately. The data should be compatible with e.g. MaxQuant, which is a freely available and reasonably powerful proteomics software, or similar. Do not underestimate the importance of software solutions that power the applications you are planning for!

Good luck throughout the purchase process!