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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Analyzing Large Protein Complexes by Structural Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 20, 2010
Secondary structural characterization of oligonucleotide strands using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
Xinhua Guo1, Michael F Bruist, Darryl L Davis
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia 600 South 43rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Abstract:
Differences in charge state distributions of hairpin versus linear strands of oligonucleotides are analyzed using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) in the negative ion detection mode. It is observed that the linear structures show lower charge state distribution than the hairpin strands of the same composition. The concentration of ammonium acetate and the cone voltage are major factors that cause the shift of the negative ions in the charge states. The ESI data presented here are supported by UV spectra of strands acquired at 260 nm wavelength in aqueous ammonium acetate solution. We will show that the strands that demonstrate a higher charge state distribution in the gas phase also have a higher melting temperature in solution.
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