I. Jonathan Amster

Professor Amster received his B.A. in 1977 and his Ph.D. in 1986 from Cornell University. He was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California-Irvine, before joining the faculty in 1988. He was the recipient of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry Research Award in 1989. His research interests are in the application of mass spectrometry to biological systems. 

My research group develops new mass spectrometric techniques for determining the structure of proteins, peptides and other biopolymers, and applies these methods to problems of biochemical or biomedical interest.  Rapid and continuing developments over the last decade have allowed mass spectrometry to make precise molecular weight measurements of vanishingly small amounts of proteins, nucleic acid, and oligosac charides. My group is interested in developing high performance mass spectrometric capabilities,in particular ultra high mass resolution and ultra precise mass measurements on subpicomole amounts of material. Our principal tool for these studies is Fourier transform mass spectrometry. We have constructed a high field (4.7 tesla) FTMS instrument for laser desorption of molecules up to 50kDa. We can examine even larger molecules by electrospray ionization with a high field (7 tesla) FTMS instrument. Areas of current interest include the ultra precise molecular weight measurement of proteins and protein complexes,the development of new mass spectrometry based methods for proteomic studies, quaternary structure analysis of proteins, and interfacing nanoseparation techniques with mass spectrometry. 

"Differences Between Positive and Negative Ion Stabilities of Metal-Sulfur Cluster Proteins: an ESI FTICR Study,"  Johnson, K. A.; Verhagen, F. J. M.; Adams, M. W. W.; Amster, I. J. Int. J. Mass Spectrom. 2001, 204, 77-85. 

"Analysis of Metal Incorporation During Overexpression of Clostridium Pasteurianum Rubredoxin by Electrospray FTICR Mass Spectrometry,"  Taylor, P. K.; Parks, B. A.; Kurtz, Jr., D. M.; Amster, I. J J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 2001, 6, 201-206. 

"Chemically and On-Line Electrochemically Reduced Metalloprotein Studies by High Resolution Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry,"  Johnson, K. A.; Shira, B. A.; Anderson, J. L.; Amster, I. J. Anal. Chem. 2001, 73, 803-808. 

"First Observation by Mass Spectrometry of a 3+ Oxidation State for a [4Fe-4S] Metalloprotein: An ESI-FTICR Mass Spectrometry Study of the High Potential Iron-Sulfur Protein from Chromatium vinosum,"  Johnson, K. A.; Amster, I. J. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2001, 12, 819-825. 

"Electrospray Ionization Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry of Multimeric Metalloproteins,"  Taylor, P. K.; Kurtz, D. M., Jr.; Amster, I. J. Int. J. Mass Spectrom. 2001, 210-211, 651-663. 

"A Gallium-Substituted Cubane-Type Cluster in Pyrococcus furiosus Ferredoxin,"  Johnson, K. A.; Brereton, P. S.;Verhagen, M. F. J. M.; Calzolai, L.; La Mar, G. N.; Adams, M. W. W.; Amster, I. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 7935-7936. 

"Sulfur Transfer from IscS to IscU. The First Step in Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biosynthesis,"  Smith, A. D.; Agar, J. N.; Johnson, K. A.; Frazzon, J.; Amster, I. J.; Dean, D. R.; Johnson, M. K. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 11103-11104. 

E-mail contact: 
amster@amstersgi.chem.uga.edu 

Website: 
http://amstersgi.chem.uga.edu/amstres.html