Mass Spectrometry of RNA-Binding Proteins during Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation Reveals Distinct Assembly Mechanisms and Droplet Architectures.

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of heterogeneous ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) drives the formation of membraneless organelles, but structural information about their assembled states is still lacking. Here, we address this challenge through a combination of protein engineering, native ion mobility mass spectrometry, and molecular dynamics simulations. We used an LLPS-compatible spider silk domain and pH changes to control the self-assembly of the hnRNPs FUS, TDP-43, and hCPEB3, which are implicated in neurodegeneration, cancer, and memory storage. By releasing the proteins inside the mass spectrometer from their native assemblies, we could monitor conformational changes associated with liquid-liquid phase separation. We find that FUS monomers undergo an unfolded-to-globular transition, whereas TDP-43 oligomerizes into partially disordered dimers and trimers. hCPEB3, on the other hand, remains fully disordered with a preference for fibrillar aggregation over LLPS. The divergent assembly mechanisms revealed by ion mobility mass spectrometry of soluble protein species that exist under LLPS conditions suggest structurally distinct complexes inside liquid droplets that may impact RNA processing and translation depending on biological context.

Gas-Phase Collisions with Trimethylamine-N-Oxide Enable Activation-Controlled Protein Ion Charge Reduction.

Modulating protein ion charge is a useful tool for the study of protein folding and interactions by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Here, we investigate activation-dependent charge reduction of protein ions with the chemical chaperone trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). Based on experiments carried out on proteins ranging from 4.5 to 35 kDa, we find that when combined with collisional activation, TMAO removes approximately 60% of the charges acquired under native conditions. Ion mobility measurements furthermore show that TMAO-mediated charge reduction produces the same end charge state and arrival time distributions for native-like and denatured protein ions. Our results suggest that gas-phase collisions between the protein ions and TMAO result in proton transfer, in line with previous findings for dimethyl- and trimethylamine. By adjusting the energy of the collisions experienced by the ions, it is possible to control the degree of charge reduction, making TMAO a highly dynamic charge reducer that opens new avenues for manipulating protein charge states in ESI-MS and for investigating the relationship between protein charge and conformation. ᅟ.

Lipids Shape the Electron Acceptor-Binding Site of the Peripheral Membrane Protein Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase.

The interactions between proteins and biological membranes are important for drug development, but remain notoriously refractory to structural investigation. We combine non-denaturing mass spectrometry (MS) with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to unravel the connections among co-factor, lipid, and inhibitor binding in the peripheral membrane protein dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), a key anticancer target. Interrogation of intact DHODH complexes by MS reveals that phospholipids bind via their charged head groups at a limited number of sites, while binding of the inhibitor brequinar involves simultaneous association with detergent molecules. MD simulations show that lipids support flexible segments in the membrane-binding domain and position the inhibitor and electron acceptor-binding site away from the membrane surface, similar to the electron acceptor-binding site in respiratory chain complex I. By complementing MS with MD simulations, we demonstrate how a peripheral membrane protein uses lipids to modulate its structure in a similar manner as integral membrane proteins.

Proteins, lipids, and water in the gas phase.

Evidence from mass-spectrometry experiments and molecular dynamics simulations suggests that it is possible to transfer proteins, or in general biomolecular aggregates, from solution to the gas-phase without grave impact on the structure. If correct, this allows interpretation of such experiments as a probe of physiological behavior. Here, we survey recent experimental results from mass spectrometry and ion-mobility spectroscopy and combine this with observations based on molecular dynamics simulation, in order to give a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in gas-phase studies. We introduce a new concept in protein structure analysis by determining the fraction of the theoretical possible numbers of hydrogen bonds that are formed in solution and in the gas-phase. In solution on average 43% of the hydrogen bonds is realized, while in vacuo this fraction increases to 56%. The hydrogen bonds stabilizing the secondary structure (α-helices, ß-sheets) are maintained to a large degree, with additional hydrogen bonds occurring when side chains make new hydrogen bonds to rest of the protein rather than to solvent. This indicates that proteins that are transported to the gas phase in a native-like manner in many cases will be kinetically trapped in near-physiological structures. Simulation results for lipid- and detergent-aggregates and lipid-coated (membrane) proteins in the gas phase are discussed, which in general point to the conclusion that encapsulating proteins in "something" aids in the conservation of native-like structure. Isolated solvated micelles of cetyl-tetraammonium bromide quickly turn into reverse micelles whereas dodecyl phosphocholine micelles undergo much slower conversions, and do not quite reach a reverse micelle conformation within 100 ns.