Date Thesis Awarded

5-2024

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only

Degree Name

Bachelors of Science (BS)

Department

Chemistry

Advisor

J. C. Poutsma

Committee Members

Christopher Abelt

Kristin Wustholz

Thomas Marshall

Abstract

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical tool in the sequencing of proteins. Many bottom-up proteomics programs rely on the mobile proton model to predict MS peptide fragmentation; however, this model does not account for the selective cleavages caused by proline and pipecolic acid residues, known as the proline and pipecolic acid effects. Since the mobile proton model relies on the peptide backbone’s affinity for a proton to explain fragmentation, the proline and pipecolic acid effects can be probed through investigation of peptide gas-phase proton affinity. By characterizing the thermochemical properties of ProXxx, XxxPro, PipXxx, and XxxPip through the extended kinetic method and density functional theory calculations, the influence of adjacent amino acid residues on the proline and pipecolic acid effect can be analyzed.

Microbes play a critical role in milkweed nectar sugar composition, which in turn impacts the attraction of pollinators and reproductive success. High-performance liquid chromatography paired with MS can be used to analyze the concentrations of glucose, fructose, and sucrose in Asclepias syriaca nectar to characterize the impact of the microbiome on plant fitness.

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