Photodissociation Spectroscopy of Hydrated Myoglobin Ions Isolated by IR-laser Ablation of a Droplet Beam: Recovery from pH-denatured Structure by Gas-phase Isolation

Photodissociation spectra near the Soret region were acquired for hydrated myoglobin (Mb) ions isolated in the gas phase. The spectra had a large red shift relative to that from an acidic aqueous solution, which indicated a significant structural change from a pH-denatured state to the isolated native structure. The pH denaturation of Mb was therefore strongly affected by surrounding water molecules.