Charge-state resolved mid-infrared spectroscopy of a gas-phase protein

Infrared spectra of a 104 amino-acid protein in the gas phase as a function of its charge state are presented. The spectra contain clearly resolvable bands in the amide I and II spectral regions, as well as a band at 1483 cm(-1), which is not observed in solution phase spectroscopy and is especially prominent for the higher charge states. Compared to solution, the amide I band is blue-shifted and the amide II band red-shifted, as expected for species in an environment with reduced hydrogen bonding. The band positions are suggestive of a mostly alpha-helical structure of the protein and their widths are comparable to those in solution, suggesting a similar conformational distribution.