Noncovalent protein tetramers and pentamers with "n" charges yield monomers with n/4 and n/5 charges.

ABSTRACT: In recent years mass spectrometry based techniques have emerged as structural biology tools for the characterization of macromolecular, noncovalent assemblies. Many of these efforts involve preservation of intact protein complexes within the mass spectrometer, providing molecular weight measurements that allow the determination of subunit stoichiometry and real-time monitoring of protein interactions. Attempts have been made to further elucidate subunit architecture through the dissociation of subunits from the intact complex by colliding it into inert gas atoms such as argon or xenon. Unfortunately, the amount of structural information that can be derived from such strategies is limited by the nearly ubiquitous ejection of a single, unfolded subunit. Here, we present results from the gas-

SUBMITTER: Beardsley RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3477242 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature