As a capstone to your training as a chemistry/biochemistry major, you will have the opportunity to conduct a one or two semester senior-level independent research project or internship, write and defend your thesis, and perhaps present your work at a regional or national scientific meeting.
The following are brief abstracts of the required senior research projects conducted by Rollins chemistry majors graduating in May, 2001, 2000, and 1999. The titles of projects for chemistry graduates of the classes of ‘98 and ‘97 follow.
Class of 2001
Amy Quinn
Sponsor: Dr. Erich Blossey
Hometown: Lake Mary, Florida
2001-2002 plans: Graduate School, Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania
THE NONI PROJECT: ISOLATION, PURIFICATION AND
CHARACTERIZATION OF MORINDA CITRIFOLIA BY MODERN SPECTROSCOPIC METHODSThe juice of Noni fruit, from the tropical Morinda citrifolia shrub, has been used medicinally for centuries as a panacea, or cure-all. While most claims to its healing properties are unsubstantiated, the fruit has been proven to have analgesic, antimalarial, and anticancerous effects. Tahitian Noni juice was first believed to have anticonvulsant, or antiepileptic, properties when veterinarian Dr.
Randall Cannon found that it decreased the frequency of seizures in several dogs and cats with idiopathic epilepsy that had been unresponsive to typical therapies. The purpose of this research was to determine if Morinda citrifolia possesses any anticonvulsant compounds. As most known anticonvulsant is alkaloids, the Tahitian Noni juice was extracted to isolate its basic compounds. Thin-layer chromatography followed by analysis using several alkaloid-detecting reagents, including Dragendorff, ninhydrin, ceric ammonium sulfate reagents as well as iodine and UV-detection, revealed the presence of compounds that are most likely alkaloids but are too dilute in the sample to indubitably assign. These fractions were assayed in vitro to determine their effect on the
p-nitrophenylphosphatase enzyme extracted from mung bean shoots, as this assay has shown that increases the enzyme activity. The concentrated basic fraction increased activity by up to 5 percent when 0.3% (w/v) in assay solution, indicating anticonvulsant properties. Testing of compounds in vivo to verify anticonvulsant activity as well as further separation, purification, and identification of anticonvulsant compounds are recommended.
Stephanie Wolfe
Sponsor: Dr. D. L. Eng-Wilmot
Hometown: Merritt Island, Florida
2001-2002 plans: Work at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA.
ISOLATION, PURIFICATION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LEAF MOVEMENT FACTOR(S) IN SESBANIA EMERUSThe purpose of this research was to develop a new purification scheme for the isolation of the leaf movement factor(s) of Sesbania emerus, a common central Florida plant. S. emerus exhibits "sun-tracking" leaf movements (diaheliotropism), sleep movements (nyctinasty) and mild touch sensitivity (thigmonsaty). The aqueous extract from freshly harvested leaflets, including rachis and pulvini, have been shown to induce leaf closure in the highly thigmonastic and seismonastic plant, Mimosa pudica, but that this crude aqueous extract 11-13 compounds exhibiting a range of molecular weights, polarities and charge. Prior attempts to purify the active components have involved multi-step chromatographic protocols that yielded very small amounts of three compounds of questionable biological activity. The new scheme that was developed involved careful fractionation, chromatographic (TLC) and electrophoretic characterization, and bioassay for leaf closure activity after each stage of separation. Unlike other schemes, this procedure reproducibly yielded a single, trianionic amine that exhibited high leaf closure activity after successive semi-preparative gel permeation (BioGel P2), cation exchange (CM Sephadex), and then anion exchange (DEAE Sephadex) chromatographies of the fractions containing an active component(s). Eluent systems were either water or low ionic strength salt gradients which minimized chances for degradation/unnecessary re-extraction and loss of activity. However, the number of active components found was one compared to three observed in previous work and this point needs to be clarified.
Class of 2000
Jennifer H. McCluan
Advisor: Dr. Pedro Bernal
Hometown: Cassellberry, Florida
2000-2001 plans: Graduate School , Chemical Education, Wake Forest UniversityHYDRATION STUDIES OF CROWN ETHERS AND GLYMES IN H20 AND D20
Water not only serves as a medium in which biological reactions occur, but has also been found to play a role in dictating the structure and therefore function of biological molecules. The study of the hydration of biological molecules is useful as it attempts to understand how water influences conformation. In this study, the hydration characteristics (apparent molar volumes, compressibilities) of a series of crown ethers(18C6, 15C5 and 12C4) and their linear analogs(tetraglyme and triglyme), compounds that complex metal ions increasing their solubilities, were examined in H20 and D2) at 15, 25 and 45 oC, to determine their effect of cyclization on hydration. Large and negative volumes, coupled with negative concentraion dependencies of volumes and compressibilities indicate that hydration of crown ethers is dominated by the hydrophobic hydration of –CH2- groups; data suggests that addition of a ethylene oxide group to a crown reduces the compressibility by a larger amount than for a similar addition to the chain of the linear glyme and that the crown is more heavily hydrated than the glyme.
Laveta Stewart
Advisor: Dr. Pedro Bernal
Hometown: Daytona Beach, Florida
2000-2001 plans: Graduate School, Public Health, University of St. LouisTHE IMPORTANCE OF WATER PURIFICATION AND SANITATION PROMOTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES; EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES FOR DISEASE PREVENTION.
Potable water is not readily available in many rural communities and sanitation education is not generally practiced in developing countries with the consequence of high rates of mortality. The two-fold objective of this project was to examine the effectiveness as a decontamination devise of an inexpensive two bucket family-based water filter, and to learn how to promote better sanitation practices. Effectiveness was determined both in the laboratory and in the field using the m-ColiBlue24 broth that allows differentiation between total coliform and E. coli. It was found that continuous use of the filter without proper disinfection with commercial bleach can lead to bacterial contamination of the carbon filter. Further, intervention must be at the community rather than family level if new sanitation practices are to be accepted to eliminate water-born diseases.
Class of 1999
In back: Dr. Eng -Wilmot and Dr. Bernal
Second row: Jen Logan, Kim Koi, Zofia Nowicki, Ton Nguyen and Maggie Reyes
Front row: Micah Manning and Chirstina GutierrezRollins chemistry majors, class of 1999, after collecting
water samples and a water fight on Lake Virgina.The following are brief abstracts of the required senior research projects conducted by Rollins chemistry majors graduating in May, 1999. The titles of projects for chemistry graduates of the classes of Î998 and Î997 follow.
Kimberly Koi
Sponsor: Dr. Erich Blossey
Hometown: Lake Mary, Florida
1999-00 plans: Medical School, University of MiamiULTRAVIOLET SPECTROSCOPY AND SPECTROFLUORIMETRY OF DNA BASES AND MIMICS
Hydrogen bonding has long been thought to be the primary stabilizing interaction in the DNA molecule. The objective of this project was to examine the possibility of base stacking interactions as a stabilizing force in the DNA structure using fluorescence spectroscopy to study the changes in fluorescence of purine and pyrimidine base molecules as they combine. To verify that hydrogen bonding is not involved in these studies, non-hydrogen bonding isosteres, 4-methylbenzimidazole and 2,4-difluorotoluene were also tested as replacements for the adenine and thymine molecules 9-ethyladenine and 1-methylthymine. Fluorescence studies showed for 9 ethyladenine/1-methylthymine and 9-ethyladenine/2,4-difluorotoluene that complexes were formed with energy transfer between bases.
Michael H. Manning, Jr.
Sponsor: Dr. Erich Blossey
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
1999-00 plans: Medical School, University of South FloridaSYNTHESIS OF A POLYMER-BOUND THIAMINE MIMIC
Vitamin B1, or thiamine, plays the central role of cofactor for a variety of enzymes involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, alcohol and some amino acids. While thiamine has been studied extensively, there is some controversy surrounding the exact mechanism involved by its thiazolium ion in catalyzing these biological reactions. The use of a coenzyme mimic attached to a polymeric support has shown promise in studying the action of coenzymes. The goal of this project was the synthesis of the thiamine mimic, N-benzyl-4-methyl-5 vinyl thiazolium bromide and copolymerize it with acrylamide. N-benzyl-4-methyl-5 vinyl thiazolium bromide was synthesised with 89% yield from 4-methyl-5-vinyl thiazole and benzyl bromide and characterized with IR, MS, and H1- and C13-NMR. While the synthesis of its copolymer with acrylamide was unsucessful, the copolymer of 4-methyl-5-vinyl thiazole and acrylamide was, but could not be isolated from the reaction mixture.
Jennifer L. Logan
Sponsor: Dr. Pedro Bernal
Hometown: St. Petersburg, Florida
1999-00 plans: Graduate School ,Chemistry, University of FloridaVOLUMETRIC PROPERTIES OF CROWN ETHERS AND LINEAR ANALOGUES IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS AT VARIOUS TEMPERATURES
The volumetric properties, apparent molal volume and apparent molal compressibility at infinite dilution were determined at 15, 25, and 40oC for aqueous solutions of 18-crown-6, 15-crown-5, 12-crown-4, and to linear analogues, tetraglyme and triglyme to determine the effect on solution properties of acyclic analogues . The apparent molal volume was observed to increase with increasing temperature and solute size, with the cyclic crowns having generally smaller values. For these compounds and with increasing ether ring size, the contribution of the added ethylene oxide group increased, reflecting strengthening hydophobic effect involving hydration and solute-solute interactions. Apparent molal compressibilities increased from negative to positive with an increase in temperature, reflecting both an increase in the ordering due to water molecules from the bulk interacting with the solute and a decrease in the hydration sphere as the protective cages of water molecules surrounding the solute collapse. These results demonstrate that the crown ether experiences more hydration in comparison with the glymes, but also that hydrophobic interactions remain important.
Christina Gutierrez
Sponsor: D. Larry Eng-Wilmot
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
1999-00 plans: Graduate School, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of MiamiISOLATION, PURIFICATION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LEAF MOVEMENT FACTORS IN SESBANIA EMERUS
Sesbania emerus, a common Central Florida plant, exhibits sun-tracking leaf movements (diaheliotropism), slight ãtouch sensitivityä (thigmonasty), and night sleep movements (nyctinasty).The aqueous extract of 6.3 kg of plant leaves was partially purified by methanol precipitation, 1-butanol extraction, and then chromatography on gel permeation (BioGelP-2) and adsorption (Silica Gel 60) columns. Biological and electrical assays showed that the isolates initiate both a thigmonastic response and changes in membrane potential in Mimosa pudica. The reduced activity of the extracts at high humidity and xylem flow rates indicate that the active components move through the xylem directly to the pulvinal motor cells. Preliminary characterization of partially purified extracts suggests that at least two components are active: a fluorescent trianion(pH 6) and a neutral (pH 6), amine-containing,weakly active component that may be be the amino acid L-alanine.
Zofia Nowicki
Sponsor: Erich Blossey
Hometown: Winter Park, Florida
1999-00 plans: Medical School, University of FloridaPROTEIN FOLDING STUDIES WITH SYNTHETIC POLYMERS
The purpose of this project was to determine if the polyacrylamide based polymers, poly (Ne acryloyl-L-lysine) and polyacrylamide induce the folding/unfolding of the protein, soybean trypsin inhibitor using slab gel electrophoresis. It was found that poly (Ne acryloyl-L-lysine), expected to act as a denaturing chaotropic agent, appears to partially refold to its native state denatured soybean trypsin inhibitor. Further, native and refolded enzyme were found to actively bind porcine trypsin.
Maggie Reyes
Sponsor: Erich Blossey
Homewtown: Orlando, Florida
1999-00 plans: Optometry School, MemphisCARBONIC ANHYDRASE AND ITS INHIBITORS; A FLUORESCENCE STUDY
This project involved the fluorescence studies of native, denatured and refolded bovine carbonic anhydrase to determine what effect the beaded polymer, poly Ne-acryloyl-L-lysine-co- acrylamide-co-N,Nâ-bisacrylyl-diaminoethane, had on the refolding of B-mecaptoethanol denatured enzyme. A significant change in the fluorescence spectrum of carbonic anhydrase was observed upon addition of the chaotropic denaturing agent which suggested that either the protein was unfolded or that the mercaptoethanol had complexed the Zn (II) ion quenching fluorescence. Refolding experiments with the polymer were inconclusive.
Phoung Nguyen
Sponsor: D. Larry Eng-Wilmot
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
1999-00 plans: Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas CityLAKE RESTORATION WITH Al2(SO4)3 AND ITS EFFECT ON FISH
In attempt to improve water quality of its chain of lakes, the City of Winter Park has embarked on a program using alum or Al2(SO4)3 in which alum is either applied to the entire surface of the lake or is injected with storm water run off. The impact of such treatments is marked and is accompanied by increased water clarity and temporary lowering of pH and dissolved phosphate concentrations, by elevating dissolved aluminum(III) ion levels. The impact of such treatments on fish was studied by determining aluminum concentrations in tissue samples from alum treated and untreated lakes using neutron activation analysis. Aluminum was found to be concentrated in the gills, intestine, caeca, stomach and esophagus of bluegills and largemouth bass at levels about 10 times higher in the test versus control with this highest level found associated per wet weight per fish in the gills (40.1 vs. 3.8 ppm). The edible flesh contained 0.38 and 0.59 ppm A /g wet weight/fish for the test and control fish (n=6).
Class of 1998
James Ford - ISOLATION OF FERRIOXAMINE E FROM PANTOEA AGGLOMERANS; CONFORMATIONAL STUDY OF FERRIOXAMINE E AND DEFERRIOXAMINE E
Medical School, University of MiamiMike Armanious - A FLUORESCENCE STUDY OF THE ENZYMES CREATINE KINASE AND ASRGININE KINASE
Graduate School, Biochemistry, University of South FloridaDamon Deming - PARTIAL PROTEOLYTIC DIGESTION OF CREATINE KINASE AND ARGININE KINASE
Graduate School, Biochemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel HillJason Baggett - PURIFICATION AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PYOVERDINE PEPTIDE PRESENT IN THE SIDEROPHORE(S) OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA ATCC 43390
Medical school, Nova SoutheasternTuKiet Lam - VOLUMETRIC PROPERTIES OF 18-CROWN-6, DIAZA-18-CROWN-6, DICYCLOHEXANO-18-CROWN-6 AND DIBENZO-18-CROWN-6: SOLUTE-SOLVENT INTERACTION IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION
Graduate School, Chemistry, Florida State UniversityBrenda Barrons - SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF 5-BENZYL THIONINHYDRIN AS A LATENT FINGERPRINT REAGENT
Graduate School, Forensic Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityJarret Reiger - DETECTING LATENT FINGERPRINTS WITH THENOYLFLUROACETONE EUROPIUM(III) COMPLEXES AND 1,10-PNENANTHROLINE EUROPIUM(III) COMPLEXES
Law School, Stetson UniversityClass of 1997
Albert Bunn - VOLUMETRIC PROTERTIES OF CROWN ETHERS: A STUDY OF SOLUTE-SOLVENT INTERACTIONS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION
Loma Linda Medical SchoolVictor Guarino - A VOLUMETREIC STUDY OF ACETONITRILE + WATER SOLUTIONS
Graduate School, Pharmacology, University of KansasHoa Le - A POLYMERIC ELLMAN'S REAGENT
Graduate School, Pharmacology, University of Arkansas Medical SchoolPawel Nowicki - SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND USE OF POLYMER-BOUND LYSINE AND POLYMER-BOUND LIPOIC ACID REAGENTS
Medical School, University of South FloridaPeter Pappas - SYNTHESIS OF POLYMER-BOUND DITHIOERTHRITOL Medical School, University of Miami
Jayson Reiger - SYNTHESIS OF A POLYMER-SUPPORTED THIAZOLE: A VITAMIN B1 MIMIC?
Graduate School, Chemistry, University of VirginiaScott Witherow - ISOLATION AND PURIFICATION OF THE FERRIC PYOVERDINE FROM PSEUDOMONAS FLUORESCENS ATCC13525 AND ITS EFFECT ON THE FRUTIFICATION OF AGARICUS BISPORUS
Graduate School, Pharmacology, University of Miami
