Mass spectrometric analysis of intact macromolecular chaperone complexes

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry enables the efficient and sensitive analysis of small and very large biomolecules. The gentle phase transfer from solution into the gas phase in combination with the seemingly unlimited mass range enables the study of intact homo- and heterogeneous protein complexes, providing an innovative tool in structural biology. Here we highlight recent progress in this field of ‘native mass spectrometry’ on noncovalent complexes, focusing on several chaperone complexes involved in protein folding.

Section editors:Harald John – Bundeswehr, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Munich, GermanyRainer Bischoff – Centre of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands