NativeMS

nMS Ion Clean-up, Conformational Control, and Thermodynamic Measurements — Leads: Vicki Wysocki and David Russell

The Center is working to optimize a panel of solution-phase separation and measurement tools, including the expansion of two-column online buffer exchange, capillary electrophoresis, and variable temperature electrospray ionization. TOP 1 includes automated ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) for affinity capture and online desalting of complexes provided in nonvolatile buffers, capillary electrophoresis coupled to vibrating sharp-edge spray ionization (VSSI) and nm scale “tiny tip” spray capillaries, both for “cleaning” and spraying low volume/low concentration samples, and variable temperature electrospray ionization (vT-ESI) as a means to control formation and measure thermodynamic parameters of native and non-native states that may be important in protein complex function.