Mass spectrometry for structural biology: determining the composition and architecture of protein complexes

Abstract

Knowledge of protein structure and protein–protein interactions is vital for appreciating the elaborate biochemical pathways that underlie cellular function. While many techniques exist to probe the structure and complex interplay between functional proteins, none currently offer a complete picture. Mass spectrometry and associated methods provide complementary information to established structural biology tools, and with rapidly evolving technological advances, can in some cases even exceed other techniques by its diversity in application and information content. This is primarily because of the ability of mass spectrometry to precisely identify protein complex stoichiometry, detect individual species present in a mixture, and concomitantly offer conformational information. This review describes the attributes of mass spectrometry for the structural investigation of multiprotein assemblies in the context of recent developments and highlights in the field.