Distinguishing Isomeric Hexose Derivatives using Mass Spectrometry

Undergraduates: Aditya Anerao, Matthew T. Campbell

Faculty Advisor: Gary Glish
Department: Chemistry

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Hexose sugars are monosaccharides, the basic functional units of all carbohydrates. This project focuses on using mass spectrometry to differentiate hexosamines and N-acetylated hexosamines, which are monomeric units of several structural polymers and prominent precursors of glycosylated linkages between carbohydrate, protein, and lipids. Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that analyzes and separates complex mixtures based on the masses of the individual components. It is the ideal analytical method because samples can be analyzed much faster and without excessive preparation. Hexoses are isomers of each other, meaning they contain the same atoms rearranged differently. Isomers have the same molecular weight, so they are traditionally difficult to distinguish using mass spectrometry. However, we have developed a non-conventional mass spectrometric approach to allow the different ions to be identified.