Detergents and Methods

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent presents a new class of 'hybrid detergents' and their use in methods for preparing and analyzing proteins, particularly membrane proteins, with mass spectrometry. The key innovation lies in detergents combining two different hydrophilic groups and a hydrophobic tail, allowing for gradual and controlled removal of lipids from membrane proteins while maintaining their native structure during analysis. These detergents improve the stability of membrane proteins in solution and enhance the accuracy and informativeness of mass spectrometry, especially for complex protein-lipid interactions.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• High-resolution mass spectrometry analysis of membrane proteins, preserving protein-lipid complexes.
• Investigating the lipid composition ('lipidome') associated with specific membrane proteins.
• Screening and identifying ligand (lipid, drug, etc.) binding to target proteins in drug discovery and development.
• Preparation and purification of membrane proteins for structural biology techniques like cryo-EM, NMR, or X-ray crystallography.
• Developing protein delipidation kits for biochemical research laboratories.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Allows gradual and controlled delipidation of membrane proteins without denaturing them or disrupting their native structure.
• Enhances mass spectrometry data quality by reducing sample heterogeneity and preserving native protein-lipid interactions.
• Facilitates direct detection of protein-ligand (including drug and lipid) complexes by mass spectrometry.
• Supports robust and quantitative interrogation of the lipid environment (lipidome) of membrane proteins, improving understanding of their function.
• Improves reproducibility and efficiency in preparing protein samples for research, reducing reliance on trial-and-error in detergent selection.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

A method of detecting a protein by mass spectrometry comprises: providing a solution comprising a hybrid detergent and a protein; providing a mass spectrometer comprising a nanoelectrospray ionisation source; vaporising the solution; ionising the protein; resolving the ionised protein; and detecting the resolved protein. The mass spectrometry methods may be used to interrogate the lipidome of a protein of interest, and/or for analysing membrane proteins in the form of complexes with ligands, and in particular lipids.