Probing the Orientation of Surface-Immobilized Protein G B1 Using ToF-SIMS, Sum Frequency Generation, and NEXAFS Spectroscopy

The ability to orient active proteins on surfaces is a critical aspect of many medical technologies. An important related challenge is characterizing protein orientation in these surface films. This study uses a combination of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy to characterize the orientation of surface-immobilized Protein G B1, rigid 6 kDa domain that binds the Fe fragment of IgG. Two Protein G B1 variants with a single cysteine introduced at either end were immobilized via the cysteine thiol onto maleimide-oligo(ethylene glycol)-functionalized gold and bare gold substrates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to measure the amount of immobilized protein, and ToF-SIMS was used to measure the amino acid composition of the exposed surface of the protein films and to confirm covalent attachment of protein thiol to the substrate maleimide groups. SFG and NEXAFS were used to characterize the ordering and orientation of peptide or side chain bonds. On both substrates and for both cysteine positions, ToF-SIMS data showed enrichment of mass peaks from amino acids located at the end of the protein opposite to the cysteine surface position as compared with nonspecifically immobilized protein, indicating end-on protein orientations. Orientation on the maleimide substrate was enhanced by increasing pH (7.0-9.5) and salt concentration (0-1.5 M NaCl). SFG spectral peaks characteristic of ordered alpha-helix and beta-sheet elements were observed for both variants but not for cysteine-free wild type protein on the maleimide surface. The phase of the alpha-helix and beta-sheet peaks indicated a predominantly upright orientation for both variants, consistent with an end-on protein binding configuration. Polarization dependence of the NEXAFS signal from the N 1s to pi* transition of beta-sheet peptide bonds also indicated protein ordering, with an estimated tilt angle of inner beta-strands of 40-50 degrees for both variants (one variant more tilted than the other), consistent with SFG results. The combined results demonstrate the power of using complementary techniques to probe protein orientation on surfaces.