Abstract
Assembly of biological molecules into complexes is a key aspect of control and regulation of biological processes. Recent developments in mass spectrometry, bringing together nanoflow electrospray with time-of-flight mass analysis, have shown that this combination of techniques can provide important new information from large dynamic multi-protein complexes.  Using examples of macromolecular complexes formed by molecular chaperones, the E coli ribosome and a virus we have shown that these assemblies can be successfully analyzed by mass spectrometry revealing new information about their subunit architecture.

We have used nanoflow–ES and time-of-flight mass analysis on the Q-ToF and LCT mass spectrometers.  To probe the thermal stability of the heat shock proteins a thermally controlled nanoflow probe was constructed which incorporates a thermoelectric device.

The results from these experiments have shown that it is possible to maintain macromolecular assemblies intact revealing information about their structural integrity and stoichiometry.  The disassembly of these particles can also reveal information about the arrangement of subunits in the intact particle.  Recently we have shown that the stoichiometry and subunit arrangements in molecular chaperones of unknown size and stoichiometry can be deduced using mass spectrometry.  In addition to preserving these complexes it is possible to monitor their assembly to the active complex from their component subunits in real-time.  Moreover their disassembly induced either thermally or by high-energy collisions reveals important information about the symmetry and arrangement of subunits in these complexes.
 

Background
Carol Robinson, professor and director of mass spectrometry at the Oxford Centre for Molecular Sciences, received her Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. Her research interests are focused on the application of mass spectrometry to structural biology. In particular, investigating the mechanisms of protein folding, misfolding and disease and the assembly of macromolecular complexes.
 
 

Meeting details

Date:	Thursday	October 26, 2000
Time:	6:00 pm	Social hour, registration (no-host cocktails)
	7:00 pm	Dinner ($30/members; $40/non-member)
	8:00 pm	Discussion/poster viewing (free, no reservations required)
Dinner:	Choice of:	Grilled Salmon
		Sirloin Tips
		Pasta Primavera
	includes	various side dishes, desert, coffee, etc.
Cost:	$30.00	BAMS members.  Reservations required by noon Friday 10/20/00
	$40.00	Non-members.  Reservations required by noon Friday 10/20/00
	$15.00	Students only.  Reservations required by noon Friday 10/20/00

Holiday Inn San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge
1800 Powell Street , Emeryville, CA
(510) 658-9300
(Yahoo Map & Directions)
 
 

The San Francisco Bay Area Mass Spectrometry discussion group was formed in 1980 to provide a regular gathering for people interested in mass spectrometry and allied topics. BAMS currently has a membership of about 280 individual and 20 corporate members, and meets 8-10 times per year for a midweek dinner and lecture.  Meetings attract between 30 and 90 people, and are held at a restaurant or hotel in the bay area convenient for our speaker.  We usually convene at 6:00pm for cocktails, dinner at 7:00pm, and lecture at 8:15pm.
 

If you have suggestions for a meeting topic, or know of a prominent mass spectroscopist who will be visiting the bay area, please contact our program chair.
 

As a service to our members, we post Employment postings.

BAMS treasurer's report for 1999 is available here.

To become a member, please fill out and mail in a membership form.
BAMS has been fortunate to have had many excellent speakers in our short history.
If you have suggestions for a meeting topic please contact our program chair.
If you have questions or comments about BAMS, please contact one of the BAMS officers.
Please thank our corporate sponsors who help keep BAMS membership and dinner costs low.
Here are some internet links that may be of interest to BAMS members.
 

If you have comments or suggestions for this web site, please email me at hugh-gregg@llnl.gov

Last update: 10/16/00.