{"id":{"repo_id":"uwo","oai_identifier":"oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/30497"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uwo/oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/30497","repository":{"repo_id":"uwo","name":"Western University","base_url":"https://uwo.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Mechanistic Insights into Analyte Charge Enhancement using Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics Simulations","abstract":"Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is a powerful technique to investigate proteins and many other analytes. However, many fundamental aspects of ESI remain poorly understood. In this thesis, we use a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experiments to gain insights into the hidden complexities of ESI-MS. The structure and reactivity of electrosprayed protein ions is governed by their net charge. In Chapter 2, we sought to uncover the mechanistic basis of La3+-induced charge enhancement. MD simulations showed that irreversible binding via multidentate contacts suppressed La3+ ejection from the vanishing droplets, such that the resulting gaseous proteins carried significantly more charge. In Chapter 3, we examined the supercharging effects of sulfolane on the ESI behavior of salt clusters using similar methods. Spiking NaI solutions with sulfolane resulted in the formation of highly charged cluster ions. MD simulations illustrate that sulfolane stabilizes the cluster to support additional charge. These results demonstrate that the combination of MS experiments and MD simulations can uncover intricate aspects of ESI mechanisms.","abstract_html":"Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is a powerful technique to investigate proteins and many other analytes. However, many fundamental aspects of ESI remain poorly understood. In this thesis, we use a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experiments to gain insights into the hidden complexities of ESI-MS. The structure and reactivity of electrosprayed protein ions is governed by their net charge. In Chapter 2, we sought to uncover the mechanistic basis of La3+-induced charge enhancement. MD simulations showed that irreversible binding via multidentate contacts suppressed La3+ ejection from the vanishing droplets, such that the resulting gaseous proteins carried significantly more charge. In Chapter 3, we examined the supercharging effects of sulfolane on the ESI behavior of salt clusters using similar methods. Spiking NaI solutions with sulfolane resulted in the formation of highly charged cluster ions. MD simulations illustrate that sulfolane stabilizes the cluster to support additional charge. These results demonstrate that the combination of MS experiments and MD simulations can uncover intricate aspects of ESI mechanisms.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Martin, Leanne"],"institution":"The University of Western Ontario","degree_name":"M Sc","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Chemistry","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Konermann, Lars"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-09-10","date_published":"2020-09-10","updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:56:14Z","subjects":["Proteins","Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry","Supercharging","Molecular Dynamics Simulations","Salt Clusters"],"languages":["en_ca"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/30497","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Konermann, Lars"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Martin, Leanne"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-07-10T18:41:32Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-07-10T18:41:32Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2020-09-10"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["The University of Western Ontario"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Chemistry"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M Sc"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Proteins","Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry","Supercharging","Molecular Dynamics Simulations","Salt Clusters"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en_ca"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/30497"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["The thesis cover page in the PDF document includes references to Western University’s previous institutional repository platform, known as Scholarship@Western, and links to that platform (beginning with ir.lib.uwo.ca). In citing or referring to this thesis, use the DOI or handle from this page instead. Sample citation: Author name, \"Thesis title.\" (Year). Western University Open Repository. https://doi.org/10.71858/123456."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is a powerful technique to investigate proteins and many other analytes. However, many fundamental aspects of ESI remain poorly understood. In this thesis, we use a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experiments to gain insights into the hidden complexities of ESI-MS. The structure and reactivity of electrosprayed protein ions is governed by their net charge. In Chapter 2, we sought to uncover the mechanistic basis of La3+-induced charge enhancement. MD simulations showed that irreversible binding via multidentate contacts suppressed La3+ ejection from the vanishing droplets, such that the resulting gaseous proteins carried significantly more charge. In Chapter 3, we examined the supercharging effects of sulfolane on the ESI behavior of salt clusters using similar methods. Spiking NaI solutions with sulfolane resulted in the formation of highly charged cluster ions. MD simulations illustrate that sulfolane stabilizes the cluster to support additional charge. These results demonstrate that the combination of MS experiments and MD simulations can uncover intricate aspects of ESI mechanisms."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Mechanistic Insights into Analyte Charge Enhancement using Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics Simulations"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Konermann, Lars"],"dc:creator":["Martin, Leanne"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-07-10T18:41:32Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-07-10T18:41:32Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2020-09-10"],"dc:description":["The thesis cover page in the PDF document includes references to Western University’s previous institutional repository platform, known as Scholarship@Western, and links to that platform (beginning with ir.lib.uwo.ca). In citing or referring to this thesis, use the DOI or handle from this page instead. Sample citation: Author name, \"Thesis title.\" (Year). Western University Open Repository. https://doi.org/10.71858/123456."],"dc:description.abstract":["Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is a powerful technique to investigate proteins and many other analytes. However, many fundamental aspects of ESI remain poorly understood. In this thesis, we use a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experiments to gain insights into the hidden complexities of ESI-MS. The structure and reactivity of electrosprayed protein ions is governed by their net charge. In Chapter 2, we sought to uncover the mechanistic basis of La3+-induced charge enhancement. MD simulations showed that irreversible binding via multidentate contacts suppressed La3+ ejection from the vanishing droplets, such that the resulting gaseous proteins carried significantly more charge. In Chapter 3, we examined the supercharging effects of sulfolane on the ESI behavior of salt clusters using similar methods. Spiking NaI solutions with sulfolane resulted in the formation of highly charged cluster ions. MD simulations illustrate that sulfolane stabilizes the cluster to support additional charge. These results demonstrate that the combination of MS experiments and MD simulations can uncover intricate aspects of ESI mechanisms."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/30497"],"dc:language.iso":["en_ca"],"dc:publisher":["The University of Western Ontario"],"dc:subject":["Proteins","Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry","Supercharging","Molecular Dynamics Simulations","Salt Clusters"],"dc:title":["Mechanistic Insights into Analyte Charge Enhancement using Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics Simulations"],"dc:type":["thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Chemistry"],"thesis:degree_name":["M Sc"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:56:14Z"}