Influence of ionizing radiation on molecular recognition in the gas phase: VUV and X-ray photoabsorption of antibiotic-receptor non-covalent complexes

Abstract

Synopsis The intrinsic effects of ionizing radiation on molecular recognition between an antibiotic and its re-ceptor have been probed by coupling a synchrotron beamline to a tandem mass spectrometer. Protonated vanco-mycin-receptor non-covalent complexes in the gas phase undergo inter-as well as intramolecular bond cleavage due to internal energy transfer after photoabsorption in the VUV-X energy range. The deprotonated complex undergoes electron detachment, but the native interactions underlying molecular recognition are not systematically lost.