Native Biomolecules in the Gas Phase? The Case of Green Fluorescent Protein. Issue 5 (21st February 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Frankevich, Vladimir; Barylyuk, Konstantin; Chingin, Konstantin; Nieckarz, Robert; Zenobi, Renato
• Is Part Of: Chemphyschem. Volume 14:Issue 5(2013)
• Page Start: 929
• Page End: 935
• Publication Date: 2013-02-21
• Subjects: Chemistry, Physical and theoretical -- Periodicals; 541.05
• DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201200959
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1439-4235

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Green fluorescent protein (GFP) was ionized by native electrospray ionization and trapped for many seconds in high vacuum, allowing fluorescence emission to be measured as a probe of its biological function, to answer the question whether GFP exists in the native form in the gas phase or not. Although a narrow charge‐state distribution, a collision cross‐section very close to that expected for correctly folded GFP, and a large stability against dissociation all support a near‐native gas‐phase structure, no fluorescence emission was observed. The loss of the native form is attributed to the absence of residual water in the gas phase, which normally stabilizes the <italic>para</italic>‐hydroxybenzylidene imidazolone chromophore of GFP.</p> </abstract>