Conformations and folding of lysozyme ions in vacuo

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1996 Apr 2;93(7):3143-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.93.7.3143.

Abstract

Proton transfer reactivity of isolated charge states of the protein hen egg-white lysozyme shows that multiple distinct conformations of this protein are stable in the gas phase. The reactivities of the 9+ and 10+ charge state ions, formed by electrospray ionization of "native" (disulfide-intact) and "denatured" (disulfide-reduced) solutions, are consistent with values calculated for ions in their crystal structure and fully denatured conformations, respectively. Charge states below 8+ of both forms, formed by proton stripping, have similar or indistinguishable reactivities, indicating that the disulfide-reduced ions fold in the gas phase to a more compact conformation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chickens
  • Crystallography
  • Disulfides
  • Female
  • Fourier Analysis
  • Mass Spectrometry / instrumentation
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Muramidase / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation*
  • Protein Folding*
  • Protons

Substances

  • Disulfides
  • Protons
  • Muramidase