mass spectrometry methods
Mass spectrometry (MS) methods are well suited for the investigation of gas phase ions, due to the inherent sensitivity and resolution of MS. The critical point in the analysis of non-covalently linked complexes is their transfer from solution into the gas phase, while keeping the complexes intact.
Soft transfer of the complexes into the gas phase for mass spectrometric analysis gives us the mass of the intact complex. Controlled disassembly of the multiprotein complexes, while keeping the 3D structure intact, will allow for the determination of complex stoichiometry and connectivity of the constituting proteins. This can be accomplished with two MS ionization methods, which we employ here: LILBID and nESI. Both are soft methods, allowing for complexes to be transferred intact into the gas phase.
The means by which the two methods allow for protein disassembly in the gas phase differs. This aspect of complementarity, among others, makes it extremely interesting to apply both, LILBID and nESI to samples of interest.
LILBID nESI.