Hydrogen-deuterium exchange analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry and the HET-s prion model

Methods Enzymol. 2006:413:167-81. doi: 10.1016/S0076-6879(06)13009-8.

Abstract

Hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange analyzed by mass spectrometry (HXMS) is a valuable tool for the investigation of protein conformation and dynamics. After exchange, the sample is generally submitted to electrospray ionization for mass analysis. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) has been used in a limited number of studies but has several significant advantages that include simplification of the spectra attributable to a predominance of singly charged ions, speed of analysis, sensitivity, and low H/D back-exchange level. MALDI-HXMS has been used to study amyloid aggregates from the HET-s prion protein. Our results underline the ability of this method to determine solvent accessibility within the amyloid aggregates, reaching a resolution of one to four amino acids. To achieve a complete peptide mass fingerprint of the protein, we have taken benefits of an ion trap operating in liquid chromatography-MS/MS mode. MALDI time-of-flight-MS was then used to determine deuterium incorporation within each peptide along the sequence of HET-s. The combined advantages of these two instruments yield a suitable solution for HXMS experiments that require highly resolved peptide mass fingerprints, high sensitivity, and speed of analysis for deuterium incorporation measurements.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Deuterium Exchange Measurement / methods*
  • Fungal Proteins / chemistry*
  • Pepsin A / metabolism
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Mapping / methods
  • Prions / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins
  • HET-S protein, Podospora anserina
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Prions
  • Pepsin A