The conformational properties of proteins can be probed with hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HXMS). In order to maintain the deuterium label during LC/MS analyses, chromatographic separation must be done rapidly (usually in under 8–10 minutes) and at zero degrees Celsius. Traditional RP-HPLC with ~3 micron particles has shown generally poor chromatographic performance under these conditions and thereby has been prohibitive for HXMS analyses of larger proteins and many protein complexes. Ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) employs particles smaller than 2 microns in diameter to achieve superior resolution, speed, and sensitivity as compared to HPLC. UPLC has previously been shown to be compatible with the fast separation and low temperature requirements of HXMS. Here we present construction and validation of a custom UPLC system for HXMS. The system is based on the Waters nanoACQUITY platform and contains a Peltier-cooled module that houses the injection and switching valves, online pepsin digestion column, and C-18 analytical separation column. Single proteins in excess of 95 kDa and a four-protein mixture in excess of 250 kDa have been used to validate the performance of this new system. Near baseline resolution was achieved in 6 minute separations at 0 °C and displayed a median chromatographic peak width of ~2.7 sec at half height. Deuterium recovery was similar to that obtained using a conventional HPLC and icebath. This new system represents a significant advancement in HXMS technology that is expected to make the technique more accessible and mainstream in the near future.

Accumulating evidence suggests that solution-phase conformations of small globular proteins and large molecular protein assemblies can be preserved for milliseconds after electrospray ionization. Thus, the study of proteins in the gas-phase on this time-scale is highly desirable. Here we demonstrate that a travelling wave ion guide (TWIG) of a Synapt mass spectrometer offers a highly suitable environment for rapid and efficient gas-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX). Gaseous ND 3 was introduced into either the source TWIG or the TWIG located just after the ion mobility cell, such that ions underwent HDX as they passed through the ND 3 on the way to the timeof-flight analyzer. The extent of deuterium labeling could be controlled by varying the quantity of ND 3 or the speed of the travelling wave. The gas-phase HDX of model peptides corresponded to labeling of primarily fast exchanging sites due to the short labeling times (ranging from 0.1 to 10 ms). In addition to peptides, gas-phase HDX of ubiquitin, cytochrome c, lysozyme and apomyoglobin were examined. We conclude that HDX of protein ions in a TWIG is highly sensitive to protein conformation, enables the detection of conformers present on sub-milliseconds timescales and can readily be combined with ion mobility spectrometry.

(2012) Analysis of host-cell proteins in biotherapeutic proteins by comprehensive online two-dimensional liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, mAbs, 4:1, 24-44,