A membrane cell for on-line hydrogen/deuterium exchange to study protein folding and protein-protein interactions by mass spectrometry.

A membrane cell for hydrogen and deuterium exchange on-line with mass spectrometry has been developed to monitor protein-protein interactions and protein conformations. It consists of two channels separated by a semipermeable membrane, where one channel carries the protein sample and the other deuterium oxide. The membrane allows transfer of deuterium oxide into the sample flow. The labeling time is controlled via the flow rate in the sample channel. This cell was validated against three models commonly used in hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry: monitoring of folded and unfolded states in a protein, mapping the protein secondary structure at the peptide level, and detection of protein and antibody interactions. The system avoids the conventionally used sample dilution and handling, allowing for potential automation.