MS-FINDER tutorial 
Last edited in 2015/010/19 
 
Abstract 
The purpose of metabolomics is to perform the ‘comprehensive’ analysis for small biomolecules of 
living organisms. Liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization- (ESI-) tandem mass 
spectrometer  (LC/MS/MS)  is  the  preferred  tool  for  untargeted  metabolomics.  Currently,  the  main 
bottleneck of LC/MS/MS based untargeted analysis is compound identification due to the limitation 
of MS/MS records of authentic standard.   
 
MS-FINDER aims to provide solutions for 1) formula predictions, 2) fragment annotations, 
and  3)  structure  elucidations  by  means  of  survey  scan  MS  and  MS/MS  spectra  of  unknowns.  MS-
FINDER has been developed as the collaborative work between Prof. Masanori Arita team (RIKEN, 
Reifycs  Inc.)  and  Prof.  Oliver  Fiehn  team  (UC  Davis)  supported  by  the  JST/NSF  SICORP 
“Metabolomics for the low carbon society” project. 
 
 
Hiroshi Tsugawa 
RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science 
hiroshi.tsugawa@riken.jp 
 
 
MS-FINDER screenshot 
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Table of contents 
Software environments .......................................................................................................................... 4 
Required programs ................................................................................................................................ 5 
Acceptable ASCII formats ...................................................................................................................... 6 
MSP format ........................................................................................................................................ 6 
MAT format ........................................................................................................................................ 7 
Adduct ion format: [M+Na]+, [M+2H]2+, [M-2H2O+H]+, [2M+FA-H]-, etc. ..................................... 9 
Import queries ..................................................................................................................................... 10 
A. From a folder which includes MSP or MAT format files ............................................................. 10 
B. From the graphical user interface of the MS-FINDER program ................................................ 11 
C. From the MS-DIAL program ....................................................................................................... 12 
Analysis parameter setting ................................................................................................................. 13 
Formula finder tab ........................................................................................................................... 13 
Structure finder tab ......................................................................................................................... 15 
Compound annotation (Single analysis) .............................................................................................. 17 
Compound annotation (batch analysis) ............................................................................................... 19 
Peak assignment (single) ..................................................................................................................... 20 
Peak assignment (batch job) ................................................................................................................ 21 
Mouse function ..................................................................................................................................... 22 
Export .................................................................................................................................................. 23 
Help ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 
 
 
 
 
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Software environments 
  Windows OS (.NET Framework 4.0 or later): Windows 7 or later 
  RAM: 8.0 GB or more 
 
 
 
 
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Required programs 
  MS-FINDER 
Download link: http://prime.psc.riken.jp/Metabolomics_Software/MS-FINDER/index.html 
 
 
  MS-FINDER can be used as the local software program in Windows PC. The program can 
import ASCII format files including MSP (MS/MS) or improved MSP (both MS and MS/MS, 
the file extension should be MAT.). In addition, the users can directly make the query in the MS-
FINDER graphical user interface. Moreover, this program can be called from the MS-DIAL 
program which is downloadable at http://prime.psc.riken.jp/Metabolomics_Software/MS-
DIAL/index.html. 
 
 
 
 
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Acceptable ASCII formats 
This program accepts two file extensions, i.e. MSP or MAT formatted by the following explanations. 
The point is that unknown queries should be separately stored in the ASCII file: the MSP or MAP 
file ‘CANNOT’ store multi compound records in the single file.   
 
MSP format 
The format of MSP basically follows the NIST MS search manual.   
Link: http://www.nist.gov/srd/upload/NIST1a11Ver2-0Man.pdf 
 
Required fields 
  NAME: 
  PRECURSORMZ: 
  PRECURSORTYPE: 
 
IONMODE: (Positive or Negative) 
  SPECTRUMTYPE: (Centroid or Profile) 
  Num Peaks: 
  m/z intensity pair (tab, comma, space can be used as the delimiter.) 
 
  Mass spectrum is supposed to be imported as MS/MS. 
 
 
 
 
If you want to perform the MS/MS peak annotation with the known structure, prepare two fields 
including FORMULA and SMILES. Please note that the formula and SMILES of the neutralized 
structure should be prepared. 
MSP example 
 
 
 
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MAT format 
The MAT format was defined as the improved version of MSP in the MS-FIDNER program to store 
both MS1 and MS/MS spectra in the same file. The survey scan MS data should be required to 
calculate ‘isotopic ion score’ for formula predictions.   
 
Required fields 
  NAME: 
  PRECURSORMZ: 
  PRECURSORTYPE: 
 
IONMODE: 
  MSTYPE: 
  Num Peaks: 
  m/z intensity pair (tab, comma, space can be used as the delimiter.) 
 
  Three fields including MSTYPE, Num Peaks, and m/z intensity pair should be SERIALLY 
stored. 
 
 
If you type ‘MSTYPE: MS1’, the spectrum written from next field should be recognized as the 
survey scan MS (MS1). If you type ‘MSTYPE: MS2’, next spectrum should be recognized as 
the MS/MS spectrum.   
  Both field (MSTYPE: MS1 and MSTYPE: MS2) is not necessary for this program, i.e. the users 
can import the ASCII file as only MS1 spectrum or as only MS/MS spectrum record.   
 
  Actually, the users may prepare the MAT or MSP files without any spectrum record. In such 
case, the formula prediction will be performed by means of mass accuracy and database criteria. 
 
 
If you want to perform the MS/MS peak annotation with the known structure, prepare two fields 
including FORMULA and SMILES. The formula and SMILES of the neutralized structure 
should be made. 
 
 
 
 
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MAT example 
 
 
 
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