Structural changes of ultrasonicated bovine serum albumin revealed by hydrogen–deuterium exchange and mass spectrometry

The structural changes of bovine serum albumin (BSA) under high-intensity ultrasonication were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Evidence for the ultrasonication-induced conformational changes of BSA was provided by the intensity changes and maximum-wavelength shift in fluorescence spectrometry. Matrix-assisted laser desorption–ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF MS) revealed the increased intensity of the peak at the charge state +5 and a newly emerged peak at charge state +6, indicating that the protein became unfolded after ultrasonication. Prevalent unfolding of BSA after ultrasonication was revealed by hydrogen–deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). Increased intensity and duration of ultrasonication further promoted the unfolding of the protein. The unfolding induced by ultrasonication goes through an intermediate state similar to that induced by a low concentration of denaturant.