Structural changes of ultrasonicated bovine serum albumin revealed by hydrogen-deuterium exchange and mass spectrometry

Anal Bioanal Chem. 2014 Nov;406(28):7243-51. doi: 10.1007/s00216-014-8136-6. Epub 2014 Sep 16.

Abstract

The structural changes of bovine serum albumin (BSA) under high-intensity ultrasonication were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Evidence for the ultrasonication-induced conformational changes of BSA was provided by the intensity changes and maximum-wavelength shift in fluorescence spectrometry. Matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF MS) revealed the increased intensity of the peak at the charge state +5 and a newly emerged peak at charge state +6, indicating that the protein became unfolded after ultrasonication. Prevalent unfolding of BSA after ultrasonication was revealed by hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). Increased intensity and duration of ultrasonication further promoted the unfolding of the protein. The unfolding induced by ultrasonication goes through an intermediate state similar to that induced by a low concentration of denaturant.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Deuterium / chemistry*
  • Deuterium Exchange Measurement / methods*
  • Hydrogen / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation / radiation effects*
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / chemistry*
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / radiation effects*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*
  • Ultrasonics*

Substances

  • Serum Albumin, Bovine
  • Hydrogen
  • Deuterium