{
  "abstract": "We discovered a vibrational-excitation-driven proton reactivity between proteins and their surrounding aqueous environment during mid-infrared laser Desorption by Impulsive Vibrational Excitation (DIVE). We show that this process, when coupled directly to high resolution mass spectrometry (MS) without secondary ionization sources, produces intact gas-phase ions of proteins retaining their compact conformations. The unexpected multiple protonation states of protein ions are generated through a series of concerted proton transfer processes to protein surface residues. We propose that laser-induced ionization via DIVE is facilitated by sub-nanosecond transient superheating and Grotthuss proton hopping processes. By coupling to high-resolution MS, protein ionization via DIVE opens up an avenue for chemical and structural characterization of proteins and their complexes directly from aqueous and physiological buffer environments.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Physics",
    "University of Toronto",
    "Biochemistry",
    "University of California Riverside",
    "Chemistry",
    "Bioengineering"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Khaled Madhoun",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5625-1533"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Semah Keissieh"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Alexander Wainwright",
      "orcid": "0009-0002-8902-8466"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        4
      ],
      "name": "R.J. Dwayne Miller"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Pei Su",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6148-0181"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/feb85ey7tmzb7.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-gj685/v2",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "feb85ey7tmzb7",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-gj685/v2",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1607|Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223127430",
  "pdf_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/pdf/10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-gj685/v2",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-21",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society (ACS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/feb85ey7tmzb7.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:24Z",
      "native_id": "10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-gj685",
      "source": "chemrxiv",
      "url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-gj685/v2"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1607|Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications",
      "subfield": "physical"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Vibrational Excitation of Water Drives Proton Reactivity with Native Proteins During Mid-Infrared Laser Desorption Coupled to Mass Spectrometry.",
  "title_text": "Vibrational Excitation of Water Drives Proton Reactivity with Native Proteins During Mid-Infrared Laser Desorption Coupled to Mass Spectrometry.",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:24Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/feb85ey7tmzb7",
  "venue": "ChemRxiv",
  "versions": []
}