Biopolymers as nanoaerosols

Biopolymers represent the most abundant organic compounds in the biosphere and constitute the largest fraction of living cells. The interest in non-destructive measurement of biopolymers, especially of non-covalent complexes and the prospect of time-resolved monitoring of structural changes of such complexes requires new instrumental approaches operating above megadalton, as well as in the low kilodalton mass range complementing classical mass spectrometric and separation techniques. Nanoaerosols are comparable with macromolecules based on their mass, hence it appears sensible to utilize and further develop nanoaerosol measuring techniques for analysis of large molecules. This appears particularly appealing based on the important fact that aerosol measurement is typically performed under atmospheric pressure which indicates a non-destructive measurement of molecular complexes. In this project we plan to utilize a combination of modernized nanoaerosol techniques: charge-reduced nano- electrospray and electrostatic mobility analysis with single molecule detection. Along with mass spectrometric techniques this will open new access to identification, characterisation and quantification of biopolymers and also opens the possibility of their reaction monitoring since the nanoaerosol approach preserves the solution-based stoichiometry. The here proposed approach is suitable for measurement of molecular compounds and of real-time monitoring of changes (e.g. dissociation, attachment of antibodies) of non-covalent complexes in the molecular mass range from kilo- to megadalton, which corresponds to aerosol particle sizes from single-digit nanometer to about 50 nm in terms of an equivalent diameter. We plan to extend the measuring range even below 1 nm in particle size - the aim in this project is about 0.5 nm in particle diameter. This would allow to measure and separate biopolymers such as viruses, which can be envisioned as huge non-covalent complexes and also to detect "nanoparticles" such as fragments of RNA. We are positive that results of this project open new ways of investigations of noncovalent compounds and their interactions. They will also contribute to proteom research and to further development of instrumental methods of substantial interest not only in the domain of physics of nanoparticles and nanoaerosols, but also for analytical chemistry and biosciences with potential applications in the field of biotechnology.

Biopolymers represent the most abundant organic compounds in the biosphere and constitute the largest fraction of living cells. The interest in non-destructive measurement of biopolymers, especially of non-covalent complexes and the prospect of time-resolved monitoring of structural changes of such complexes requires new instrumental approaches operating above megadalton, as well as in the low kilodalton mass range complementing classical mass spectrometric and separation techniques. Nanoaerosols are comparable with macromolecules based on their mass, hence it appears sensible to utilize and further develop nanoaerosol measuring techniques for analysis of large molecules. This appears particularly appealing based on the important fact that aerosol measurement is typically performed under atmospheric pressure which indicates a non-destructive measurement of molecular complexes. In this project we plan to utilize a combination of modernized nanoaerosol techniques: charge-reduced nano- electrospray and electrostatic mobility analysis with single molecule detection. Along with mass spectrometric techniques this will open new access to identification, characterisation and quantification of biopolymers and also opens the possibility of their reaction monitoring since the nanoaerosol approach preserves the solution-based stoichiometry. The here proposed approach is suitable for measurement of molecular compounds and of real-time monitoring of changes (e.g. dissociation, attachment of antibodies) of non-covalent complexes in the molecular mass range from kilo- to megadalton, which corresponds to aerosol particle sizes from single-digit nanometer to about 50 nm in terms of an equivalent diameter. We plan to extend the measuring range even below 1 nm in particle size - the aim in this project is about 0.5 nm in particle diameter. This would allow to measure and separate biopolymers such as viruses, which can be envisioned as huge non-covalent complexes and also to detect "nanoparticles" such as fragments of RNA. We are positive that results of this project open new ways of investigations of noncovalent compounds and their interactions. They will also contribute to proteom research and to further development of instrumental methods of substantial interest not only in the domain of physics of nanoparticles and nanoaerosols, but also for analytical chemistry and biosciences with potential applications in the field of biotechnology.