Gas-Phase Ion Chemistry of Peptide Radical Ions and Applications in Protein Characterization

在普渡大学化学系化学测量与成像（CMI）项目的支持下，夏宇教授和她的团队扩展了质谱法研究生物分子自由基的能力，与电子离子相比，生物分子自由基的研究还远远不够。将开发新的方法和仪器，在气相中形成不同类型的肽自由基离子，并提取其化学性质信息，包括结构和本征反应性。新的分析方法基于肽自由基离子化学将探索蛋白质结构表征。夏教授建议研究自由基和离子如何相互作用。获得的知识将为氧化应激导致的蛋白质自由基中间体的命运提供见解，氧化应激已被证明与各种生物过程有关，包括衰老和神经退行性变。拟议的研究和教育活动也将为研究生和本科生提供肥沃的训练场地，让他们接触科学仪器、反应机制和生物分析。扩大女学生和代表性不足群体学生的参与将是拟议的教育部分的重点之一。

With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI) program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Yu Xia and her group at Purdue University expand the capability of mass spectrometry to study radical ions derived from biomolecules, which are significantly under-explored as compared to even electron ions. New methods and instrumentation will be developed to form diverse types of peptide radical ions in gas-phase and extract their chemical property information including structures and intrinsic reactivity. New analytical approaches based on peptide radical ion chemistry will be explored for protein structural characterization. Professor Xia proposes to study how radicals and ions interact with each other. The gained knowledge will provide insight on the fate of protein radical intermediates resulted from oxidative stress, which has been shown to be related to various biological processes, including aging and neurodegeneration. The proposed research and education activities will also establish fertile training ground for both graduate and undergraduate students with exposure to scientific instrumentation, reaction mechanisms, and bio-analysis. Broadening participation of female students and students from underrepresented groups will be one of the focuses of the proposed educational component.