MRI: Acquisition of Mass Spectrometry Instrumentation for Chemistry and Biology Research

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。通过这项来自主要研究仪器（MRI）项目的奖励，格林内尔学院化学系将获得一台离子阱气相色谱质谱仪（GC-MS）和一台飞行时间质谱仪（TOF），用于跨生物、化学和神经科学的多部门研究项目。该仪器将支持一系列的研究活动，包括1)通过氢/氘交换质谱法研究探测溶液结构、配体结合和蛋白质动力学；2)有机杂双金属配合物的表征，研究其化学电离途径；3)气相阳离子小分子反应性研究，从而检验金属-金属协同性；4)植物热胁迫反应中Rubisco激活酶蛋白的分化研究；5)内源性大麻素（eCBs）或其代谢产物在蜥蜴神经肌肉连接处的测量；6)鉴定构成变构调节剂结合位点的烟碱受体残基；8)对地下水和地表水中除草剂和药物污染物及其降解产物的研究。质谱法（MS）是通过测量样品中分子组分电离后经质谱仪检测后的质量，来鉴定样品的化学成分并确定其纯度的方法。色谱法是一种先于质谱分析的分离技术。它将混合物分离成几种化学成分，然后用质谱仪进行分析。这些是广泛使用的分析技术，用于鉴定和定量样品的化学成分。对大学生进行使用现代仪器的技术训练是很重要的。该仪器将用于研究学生，实验课教学和涉及中学生的推广计划。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, the Chemistry Department at Grinnell College will acquire an ion trap gas chromatography mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer for use in multi-departmental research projects spanning biology, chemistry, and neuroscience. The instrumentation will support a range of research activities, including 1) investigations to probe solution structure, ligand binding and protein dynamics by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry; 2) characterization of organoheterobimetallic complexes to investigate their chemical ionization pathways; 3) studies of gas phase cation small molecule reactivity thereby examining metal-metal cooperativity; 4) investigations to differentiate Rubisco activase proteins that have been implicated in heat-stress response in plants; 5) measurements of endocannabinoids (eCBs) or their metabolites at the lizard neuromuscular junction; 6) identification of residues of nicotinic receptors that comprise the binding site for an allosteric modulator; and 8) studies of herbicides and pharmaceutical contaminants and their degradation products in ground and surface waters.Mass spectrometry (MS) is used to identify the chemical composition of a sample and determine its purity by measuring the mass of the molecular constituents in the sample after they are ionized and detected by the mass spectrometer. Chromatography is an isolation technique that precedes the mass spectrometry analysis. It separates a mixture into its several constituent chemicals which are then analyzed by the mass spectrometer. These are widely used analytical techniques to identify and quantify the chemical composition of a sample. It is important for undergraduate students to be trained in the technique using modern instrumentation. The instrumentation will be used by research students, in laboratory class instruction and in an outreach program involving middle school students.