Acquisition of a Nanoelectrospray Source and Supporting Equipment

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

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.