Protein complex heterogeneity and topology revealed by electron capture charge reduction and surface induced dissociation

Abstract

Herein, we focus on native mass spectrometry (nMS) combined with a fast, tunable gas-phase charge reduction, electron capture charge reduction (ECCR), and illustrate its utility in the characterization of protein complex topology and glycoprotein heterogeneity. ECCR is illustrated to effectively spread the charge states of tetradecameric GroEL, illustrating Orbitrap m/z measurement out to greater than 100,000 m/z. For both the pentameric C-reactive protein and tetradecameric GroEL, our novel device combining ECCR with surface induced dissociation (SID) lowers the charge states and produces more topologically informative fragmentation. While more native-like fragmentation has previously been illustrated for complexes charge reduced by proton abstraction in solution, this is the first illustration that ECCR can lead to more native-like SID fragmentation of protein complexes. Application to protein glycosylation, one of the most common and diverse protein posttranslational modifications, is also illustrated because glycosylation is important for structural and functional properties and plays essential roles in many key biological processes. The immense heterogeneity resulting from variability in glycosylation sites and glycan composition and structure poses significant analytical challenges that hinder a mechanistic understanding of the biological role of glycosylation. Data for stabilized heavily glycosylated SARS-CoV-2 spike protein trimer and thyroglobulin dimer illustrate that ECCR enables significantly improved resolution of glycan heterogeneity. Without ECCR, the charge states of a glycoprotein complex are not resolved and average mass determination is available only through the use of charge detection mass spectrometry or mass photometry. With ECCR after narrow m/z selection, multiple glycoform m/z values are apparent, providing quick global, glycoform profiling and providing a future path for glycan localization on individual intact glycoforms (e.g., though top-down dissociation).