The PSI website has moved to a new address: http://www.psidev.info/

This page is no longer being updated

You should be automatically forwarded to the new MS WG page shortly

PSI-MS: Mass Spectrometry Standards Working Group

About us

The PSI-MS working group defines community data formats and controlled vocabulary terms facilitating data comparison, exchange and verification. PSI-MS is focused on the field of mass spectrometry.

Our three main achievements and projects are:

The mzData standard, which captures peaklist data. mzData's aim is to unite the large number of current formats (pkl's, dta's, mgf's, .....) into one; mzData. mzData has been released in a stable production version. mzData is already supported by some software providers. Other companies, including Bruker Daltonics, and Kratos Analytical (Shimadzu Group), are currently implementing the mzData standard.
The analysisXML standard, which captures parameters and results of search engines such as Mascot and Sequest (in addition to many other equivalent tools). Note that this format now comes under the aegis of the Proteomics Informatics Working Group.
The supporting controlled vocabulary that will provide classifiers for both mzData and analysisXML; this list of clearly defined, contextualised terms is crucial for the construction of unambiguously worded data files.

The mzData standard

Status: stable production version 1.05

mzData in a nutshell

mzData is a data format capturing peak list information. Its aim is to unite the large number of current formats (pkl's, dta's, mgf's, .....) into one; mzData. mzData is NOT a substitute for the rawfile formats of the instrument vendors. Some vendors, if not all, will provide software transforming their raw files to mzData. There are already a number of programs which can use mzData. In order to keep the filesize of mzData limited, mz/intensity information is stored in "binary base 64 format".

Technical description and other resources

Annotated XML Schema for mzData v1.05: mzdata.xsd
Link to expanded documentation for mzData v1.05.
[UPDATED:2006-08-26] A full list of known mzData implementations.
mzData example instance files.

Questions? Consult the PSI-MS email discussion list

to the top

The analysisXML standard

Status: conceptual phase

analysisXML captures parameters and results of search engines such as Mascot and Sequest (in addition to many other equivalent tools). analysisXML as a standard will unify results from different search engines, facilitating cross-comparisons. PSI and the major journals are working towards common guidelines for comparing results. Because of the inclusion of search parameters in analysisXML, it can potentially also be used as an input file to a search engine.

analysisXML has now become the main deliverable of the newly formed Proteomics Informatics working group. Please refer to the Proteomics Informatics Working Group Home Page for further details.

to the top

The PSI Controlled Vocabulary

Update to follow soon.

to the top

Meeting reports

Update to follow soon.

to the top

Moderated email discussion list

We also provide a mail discussion list for mass spectroscopy standard development.
You can mail to this list at psidev-ms-dev@lists.sourceforge.net, browse the archive, or subscribe/unsubscribe.

to the top

Group leader: Randall Julian | Created 20031107 | Last changed: 2006-08-08 | mail change request for this page