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Chemistry

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Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

2011

Chemistry

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Characterization Of Esterase Activity From The Bacteria, Francisella Tularensis, The Causative Agent Of Tularemia, Leigh Anna Weston May 2011

Characterization Of Esterase Activity From The Bacteria, Francisella Tularensis, The Causative Agent Of Tularemia, Leigh Anna Weston

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Francisella tularensis is the bacteria responsible for causing the disease tularemia and is listed as one of the top three-biowarfare agents. Among the proteins essential to the virulence and infectivity of F.tularensis are multiple esterases, which are enzymes that break down various ester, thioester, and amide bonds. In this project, the catalytic activity, substrate speci fi city, and structure of a putative esterase from F.tularensis was studied. Latent fluorophores based on the molecule, fluorescein, were unmasked by the enzymatic activity of the esterase and the increase in fluorescence was measured over time to determine how well the e tcrase recognized …


Development Of A Green Method For Amide Synthesis, Megan Ruth Darragh May 2011

Development Of A Green Method For Amide Synthesis, Megan Ruth Darragh

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The aim of this work was to determine the scope and limitations of using microwave technology, solvent-free conditions and green chemistry-applicable solid supports for amide synthesis. We hypothesize that the method developed by Comerford et al [12] may be applicable to other solid support systems already in use (silica, fly ash, and alumina), and that combined with the use of microwave technology, green and efficient synthesis of varied amides and other dehydration reaction products may be possible. These methods should show application to undergraduate, organic chemistry laboratories as well as large-scale production laboratories.