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Intact Molecule (intact + molecule)
Selected AbstractsRemoval of the N-terminal hexapeptide from human ,2-microglobulin facilitates protein aggregation and fibril formationPROTEIN SCIENCE, Issue 5 2000G. Esposito Abstract The solution structure and stability of N-terminally truncated ,2-microglobulin (,N6,2-m), the major modification in ex vivo fibrils, have been investigated by a variety of biophysical techniques. The results show that ,N6,2-m has a free energy of stabilization that is reduced by 2.5 kcal/mol compared to the intact protein. Hydrogen exchange of a mixture of the truncated and full-length proteins at ,M concentrations at pH 6.5 monitored by electrospray mass spectrometry reveals that ,N6,2-m is significantly less protected than its wild-type counterpart. Analysis of ,N6,2-m by NMR shows that this loss of protection occurs in , strands I, III, and part of II. At mM concentration gel filtration analysis shows that ,N6,2-m forms a series of oligomers, including trimers and tetramers, and NMR analysis indicates that strand V is involved in intermolecular interactions that stabilize this association. The truncated species of ,2-microglobulin was found to have a higher tendency to self-associate than the intact molecule, and unlike wild-type protein, is able to form amyloid fibrils at physiological pH. Limited proteolysis experiments and analysis by mass spectrometry support the conformational modifications identified by NMR and suggest that ,N6,2-m could be a key intermediate of a proteolytic pathway of ,2-microglobulin. Overall, the data suggest that removal of the six residues from the N-terminus of ,2-microglobulin has a major effect on the stability of the overall fold. Part of the tertiary structure is preserved substantially by the disulfide bridge between Cys25 and Cys80, but the pairing between ,-strands far removed from this constrain is greatly perturbed. [source] Characterization of the improvised explosive urea nitrate using electrospray ionization and atmospheric pressure chemical ionizationRAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 14 2005Tsippy Tamiri Mass spectra of urea nitrate were measured in electrospray ionization and in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in the negative mode. In both ionization methods two characteristic adduct ions containing the intact molecule [urea nitrate+NO3], and [urea nitrate+HNO3+NO3], are shown. The structure of the two adduct ions was deduced using measurements of isotopically labeled urea nitrate. Collision-induced dissociation measurements of the adduct ions show typical losses enabling the identification of urea nitrate in trace amounts. Using these methods urea nitrate was identified in real cases. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Analysis of endogenous glutathione-adducts and their metabolitesBIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2010Ian A. Blair Abstract The ability to conduct validated analyses of glutathione (GSH)-adducts and their metabolites is critically important in order to establish whether they play a role in cellular biochemical or pathophysiological processes. The use of stable isotope dilution (SID) methodology in combination with liquid chromatography,tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) provides the highest bioanalytical specificity possible for such analyses. Quantitative studies normally require the high sensitivity that can be obtained by the use of multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)/MS rather than the much less sensitive but more specific full scanning methodology. The method employs a parent ion corresponding to the intact molecule together with a prominent product ion that obtained by collision induced dissociation. Using SID LC-MRM/MS, analytes must have the same relative LC retention time to the heavy isotope internal standard established during the validation procedure, the correct parent ion and the correct product ion. This level of specificity cannot be attained with any other bioanalytical technique employed for biomarker analysis. This review will describe the application of SID LC-MR/MS methodology for the analysis of GSH-adducts and their metabolites. It will also discuss potential future directions for the use of this methodology for rigorous determination of their utility as disease and exposure biomarkers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Nonreducing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis for the detection of Bence Jones proteins in serum and urinePROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 1 2004Ingrid Miller Abstract Nonreducing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) is described for the study of immunoglobulin disorders with asynchronous production of single chains. Unlike classical reducing 2-DE, this method can distinguish between complex intact molecules and their free single chains (with different degrees of polymerization) and will thus be helpful for diagnosis of this type of disease. Examples are taken from canine patients, but the method may also be applied to both urine and serum specimens from other species. Nonreducing 2-DE thus represents a useful tool complementary to classical 2-DE, when further information about the appearance of free subunits or modifications of proteins are required, even in the presence of intact molecules. [source] |