Microhydration of Biomolecules: Revealing the Native Structures by Cold Ion IR Spectroscopy

The native-like structures of protonated glycine and peptide Gly3H+ were elucidated using cold ion IR spectroscopy these biomolecules hydrated by a controlled number water molecules. complexes generated directly from an aqueous solution gentle electrospray ionization. Already with single retained molecule, GlyH+ exhibits the structure characterized lack intramolecular hydrogen bonds. We use our spectra to calibrate available data for same complexes, which are produced cryogenic condensation onto gas-phase glycine. In some conformers adopts structure, while in others, it remains kinetically trapped intrinsic state. Upon 4-5 molecules, embedded amino acid fully its structure. Similarly, one molecule tripeptide is insufficient eliminate states.