Acquisition of a Nanoelectrospray Source and Supporting Equipment

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With support from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF) Program, the Department of Chemistry at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will purchase a nanoelectrospray (nano-ESI) source and supporting equipment. This equipment, which will be placed in the Mass Spectrometry Facility at RPI, will enhance research in a number of areas including 1) confirmation of the efficacy of protein displacement molecules during chromatographic separations; b) de novo protein design and design of methodologies to enhance mass spectrometric signals from peptides; c) analysis of complex mixtures of oligosaccharides; d) recombination protein production; and e) elucidation of protein deposition on explanted biomaterials. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a technique used to probe intimate structural details and to obtain the molecular compositions of a vast array of organic, bioorganic, and organometallic molecules. Nano-ESI is a proven method for ionizing the molecule of interest without fragmentation. Thus the combination of MS and nano-ESI is one of the fastest growing and most widely used analytical instrumentation techniques for larger biomolecules that would otherwise fragment upon ionization. These studies will have a significant impact in a number of areas, especially biochemistry.