RUI: Glycan Characterization and Quantitative Analysis via Free-Radical Induced Dissociation

在化学系化学测量和成像计划的支持下，蒙特克莱尔州立大学的高金山教授和他的学生正在进行研究，以寻求改善多糖表征和定量的能力。多糖(或多糖)是一种复杂的生物分子，尽管其丰度较低，但在生命系统的生物化学中发挥着重要作用。它们的定性和定量分析在识别和区分健康和疾病细胞方面很重要。高博士的团队正在瞄准利用质谱学获取多糖结构信息的新方法，这是化学分析中使用最广泛、最重要的工具之一。他们正在设计用同位素或其他化学“标签”标记葡聚糖分子的方法，以更好地了解它们的碎片，并促进它们的定量。这项工作既寻求提高性能，也寻求更好地理解方法。本科生的参与加强了对劳动力发展的影响，包括第一代大学生和代表人数不足的群体的成员；蒙特克莱尔州立大学是一所为拉美裔服务的机构。这项研究的元素被整合到高博士的本科课程中，使学生能够熟悉现代分析技术。这项研究的主要目标是开发一种新的自由基方法来表征和定量多聚糖，并研究自由基诱导的多聚糖解离。结合自由基化学和质谱学的优点，需要1)开发用于表征多糖的自由基试剂；2)开发用于多糖定量的自由基标记物；以及3)合成用于研究多糖解离机理的模型多糖。这些任务为从事研究的学生提供了一系列的综合机会。自由基试剂被用来产生系统的和可预测的葡聚糖解离，促进了葡聚糖骨架的可视化。自由基标记物可以同时进行多糖的定量和表征。从研究多糖解离中获得的见解应该会提高对自由基解离方法潜在的更广泛用途的理解。这项工作应该促进人们对多糖在健康和疾病中的作用的理解，包括肿瘤的发展和其他与糖化相关的疾病，如冠心病和炎症性肠病。

With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry, Prof. Jinshan Gao and his students at Montclair State University are pursuing research that seeks improved capabilities for glycan characterization and quantitation. Glycans (or polysaccharides) are complex biomolecules that play important roles in the biochemistry of living systems, despite their low abundance. Their qualitative and quantitative analysis can be important in identifying and distinguishing healthy and diseased cells. Dr. Gao's group is targeting new ways to derive glycan structural information using mass spectrometry, one of the most widely used and important tools of chemical analysis. They are devising ways to label glycan molecules with isotopic or other chemical "tags" to gain better insight into their fragmentation and to facilitate their quantitation. The work seeks both improved performance and better understanding of the methods. Impact on workforce development is enhanced by involvement of undergraduate students, including first-generation college students and members from under-represented groups; Montclair State University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Elements of the research are integrated into Dr. Gao's undergraduate courses, enabling students to become familiar with modern analytical techniques. The overarching goals of the research are to develop a novel free-radical approach for glycan characterization and quantitation, and to investigate glycan dissociation induced by free radicals. Combining the merits of free-radical chemistry and mass spectrometry requires 1) development of free-radical reagents for glycan characterization; 2) development of free-radical tags for glycan quantitation; and 3) synthesis of model glycans for investigation of glycan dissociation mechanisms. These tasks provide a range of synthesis opportunities for the students engaged in the research. The free-radical reagents are employed to generate systematic and predictable glycan dissociation, facilitating visualization of the glycan skeleton. Free-radical tags enable simultaneous glycan quantitation and characterization. Insights gained from the investigation of glycan dissociation should improve understanding of the potential broader utility of the free-radical dissociation approach. The work should advance understanding of the roles of glycans in health and disease, including tumor development and other glycosylation-related diseases, such as coronary heart disease and inflammatory bowel disease.