Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

We have examined the architecture of a protein complex in the absence of bulk water. By determining collision cross sections of assemblies of the trp RNA binding protein, TRAP, we established that the 11-membered ring topology of the complex can be maintained within a mass spectrometer. We also found that the binding of tryptophan enhances the stability of the ring structure and that addition of a specific RNA molecule increases the size of the complex and prevents structural collapse. These results provide definitive evidence that protein quaternary structure can be maintained in the absence of bulk water and highlight the potential of ion mobility separation for defining shapes of heterogeneous macromolecular assemblies.

Original publication

DOI

10.1126/science.1120177

Type

Journal article

Journal

Science

Publication Date

09/12/2005

Volume

310

Pages

1658 - 1661

Keywords

5' Untranslated Regions, Apoproteins, Bacillus subtilis, Bacterial Proteins, Chemical Phenomena, Chemistry, Physical, Ions, Protein Conformation, Protein Structure, Quaternary, Protein Subunits, RNA-Binding Proteins, Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization, Thermodynamics, Transcription Factors, Tryptophan, Water