Applications of mass spectrometry to the study of protein aggregation

Methods Mol Biol. 2015:1258:331-45. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2205-5_19.

Abstract

Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of charged particles. Nowadays mass spectrometry-based approaches play a pivotal role in both detection and characterization of proteins. Here we describe two applications to study insoluble proteins: (a) hydrogen/deuterium exchange combined with mass spectrometry to analyze structural properties of amyloid fibrils and (b) the screening for inhibitors of the aggregation process by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Deuterium / chemistry
  • Deuterium Exchange Measurement / methods*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen / chemistry
  • Protein Aggregates / physiology*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Protein Aggregates
  • Hydrogen
  • Deuterium