Submitted by Ana Hilda Fonseca (anahilda@ufba.br) on 2014-10-27T17:17:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ElecyTese corrigida 30 07 14.pdf: 1118101 bytes, checksum: fcfaf3d2c9511c09fdcaefb24555ec74 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Hilda Fonseca (anahilda@ufba.br) on 2014-10-29T15:53:07Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ElecyTese corrigida 30 07 14.pdf: 1118101 bytes, checksum: fcfaf3d2c9511c09fdcaefb24555ec74 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-29T15:53:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ElecyTese corrigida 30 07 14.pdf: 1118101 bytes, checksum: fcfaf3d2c9511c09fdcaefb24555ec74 (MD5) / FAPESB / A mandioca ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) é uma plan ta de origem da América do Sul, tendo como produto principal a farinha de mandioca, que é um alimento rico em carboidratos, fibras, proteína, Ca, P, Na, K e Fe , entre outros. A prod ução de farinha corresponde a 22 % da produção nacional de mandioca e é pro duzida por pequenos produtores. Sendo assim, é oportuno o desenvolvimento de estudos que visam à caracterização da farinha de mandioca quanto à sua composição para se ter um controle de qualidade adequado para consumo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi propor estratégias para a caracterização da farinha de mandioca produzida no E stado da Bahia em função das concentrações de Al, As, Ba, Br, Ca, Cd, Cl, Cu, Fe, I, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb e Zn. Em uma primeira etapa foram comparados três procedimentos para o prep aro das amostras : (1) por via úmida com aquecimen to condutivo em bloco digestor, (2) assistido por radiação micro - ondas e (3) por via seca. Os elementos foram determinados por espectrometria de emissão óptica com plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP OES). Fo i recomendado o procedimento assistido por radiação micro - ondas para determinação da composição elementar nas 24 amostras de farinha de mandioca adquiridas em diferentes localidades do estado da Bahia devido a sua maior eficiência e menor possibilidade de contaminação. Na segunda etapa foi proposto um procedimento para determinação de As, Pb, Cd e Se empregando espectrometria de absorção atômica com atomização eletrotérmica e detecção simultânea, utilizando a mistura de W e Rh como modificador. Foi possível determinar Pb e Cd em todas as amostras e os resultados obtidos indicaram para concentrações abaixo dos limites estabelecidos pela legislação. Na etapa final foram desenvolvidos estudos preliminares para a determinação de Cl, Br e I por ICP OES. / Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a plant of South America, with the main product of cassava flour, which is a food rich in carbohyd rates, fiber, protein, Ca, P, Na, K and Fe. The production flour corresponds 22.1% of national production of cassava and is produced by small producers. Thus, it is desirable to develop studies aimed at characterization of cassava flour in their compositio n to have a quality control suitable for consumption. The objective of this study was to propose strategies for the characterization of cassava flour produced in the state of Bahia in the concentrations of Al, As, Ba, Br, Ca, Cd, Cl, Cu, Fe, I, K, Mg, Mn,N a, Ni, P, Pb and Zn. In a first step we compared three procedures for the preparation: (1) procedures using acids with heat conductive in block digester and (2) assisted by microwave and (3) procedure by calcination. The elements were determined by optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP OES). It was recommended the procedure assisted by microwave radiation to determine the elemental composition in 24 samples of cassava flour acquired in different localities of Bahia state conside ring its greater efficiency and less chance of contamination. In the second step was proposed a procedure for determination of As, Pb, Cd and Se using atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomization and simultaneous detection using a mixture of Rh and W as chemistry modifier. Lead was determined in all samples and the results indicated concentrations below the limits established by law. In the final stage preliminary studies have been developed for the determination of Cl, Br and I by ICP OES . Further studies should be developed to a greater number of samples in order to establish a more complete profile and contribute to the Table of Food Composition at the regional level

The painting Seated lady writing has undergone a technical investigation where its material characteristics were unveiled using non-invasive analytical techniques employing different wavelengths of the spectrum. The panel was analyzed from a material and a visual culture perspective. The thesis aimed to answer what the panel has undergone through time, how its materiality relate to its function, and where and when it was created. In addition, the aim was to investigate the objects portrayed and their value within the artwork’s historical cultural context. The panel show diverse damages that might relate to insect activity, carving with a sharp tool in the face area, stabilization methods evident from remnants of a removed cradling and a possible dimensional reduction. Preparatory features including both free hand underdrawing for minor details, and a tracing technique used for the initial rendering of the female figure and some of the textiles were identified. A blend of meticulously rendered detailing with areas of lesser quality in terms of execution together with the use of common pigments, point to an overall aim of producing art in anefficient way. Later interventions are evident such as the turquoise overpaint on the dress covering the original authentic violet or burgundy color. Visible in X-ray, a dense element covering the bust may be interpreted as a painted thin fabric. The lack of the superficial viscous modelling layers reduce the face of its plasticity and many colors have altered and darkened. The setting and the woman’s fashion indicates an early Dutch 16th century courtly aesthetic. The objects in the rich interior alludes to religious symbolism referring to the Magdalene. The paintings attribution to the Master of the Female Half-Lengths was made in the early 20th century according to the panel’s stereotypical motif, despite the stylistic differences of the figure types. The panel differs from the other attributed panels in thesetting, where the woman seems contemplating in front of a diary, whereas the other women areportrayed writing, playing music or reading. This master has been regarded as synonymous with a workshop production, painting for the blooming 16th century art market in Flemish cities such as Antwerp. This thesis proposes that the paintings ought to be understood in the context of a genre The Female Half-Lengths, as opposed to adhering to one and the same attributed master.

Different multiple-injection methodologies and the partial filling technique (PFT) have been utilized for separation of pharmaceuticals by capillary elec-trophoresis. In multiple-injection capillary zone electrophoresis (MICZE), the samples and all standards, used for construction of the calibration curve, are analyzed within a single run. Four different modes of MICZE have been described by means of equations, which were experimentally verified. The developed equations facilitate the transfer from conventional single-injection CZE to one or more of these MICZE-modes, depending on the selectivity between the analyte and the injection marker. The applicability of two of these modes was then demonstrated by quantification of buserelin and salbutamol, re-spectively in commercially available pharmaceutical products. The content of buserelin in an injection solution was determined to 0.94 mg/ml, which only deviated slightly from the declared concentration (1 mg/ml). An alter-native mode of MICZE, offering a higher number of sequential sample injec-tions, was then utilized for single-run determination of salbutamol in 15 tab-lets, with a labelled content of 8 mg. The average content of the tablets was determined to 7.8 mg, with an intra-tablet variation of 3 % or less. Moreover, UV- and mass-spectrometric detection of enantiomeric amines, resolved by non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis (NACE), was demon-strated. Separation of enantiomeric amines was achieved using the chiral selector (-)-2,3:4,6-di-O-isopropylidene-2-keto-L-gulonic acid, (-)-DIKGA. Introduction of the non-volatile (-)-DIKGA into the mass-spectrometer was avoided by using the PFT, where the capillary is only partially filled with electrolyte containing the chiral selector.

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No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseBP.pdf: 10262484 bytes, checksum: fba14b7c525ee723da7badf4144c7db2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-06-24 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Technological development and market pressure turned polymers into widely used structural materials for several different applications, being manufactured by a wide range of monomers. However, traditional polymers usually show some drawbacks regarding environmental aspects, as most used polymers are produced with nonrenewable feedstock and generate huge amounts of non-biodegradable residues. Therefore it is imperative the sustainable development of new bio-based and biodegradable polymeric materials. The use of microorganisms for obtaining biopolymers is a very promising reality. However, in order to achieve viable production in industrial scale it is necessary to overcome economic barriers, by using microbes with good assimilation of low-cost substrates and high biopolymer yields. As such, the objective of this work was the isolation and identification of bacteria associated with the insect Diabrotica speciosa, as well as the evaluation microbial capacity of biopolymer production. The insect presented great microbial diversity, identified as an underexplored niche with tremendous biotechnological potential for the investigation of novel species and/or strains. In an attempt to find bacterial isolates effective on the production of two classes of biopolymers, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and exopolysaccharides (EPS), it was obtained 73 strains of bacteria associated with Diabrotica speciosa. These bacteria were identified at genus level by genetic techniques using 16S rDNA sequencing and by proteomic techniques using MALDI-TOF MS. Both characterization methods yielded 100% convergence on results. It was found 17 different bacterial genera, which were submitted to qualitative screening assays in order to identify strains producing PHA using Nile Red dye method, as well as for EPS by using the bacterial spot test. Promising strains on both assays were selected for further quantitative studies and structural characterization of the obtained biopolymers. Quantitative analyses for PHA production corroborated satisfactorily with qualitative results, especially to bacteria from genera Aurantimonas and Delftia which demonstrated high PHA production capacity with 50 and 90% polymer yield on dry mass, both strains being strains able to use substrates such as glucose, acetate and glycerol. GC-MS analyses indicated that Aurantimonas sp. produced mostly a homopolymer of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), while Delftia sp. was able to produce a copolymer having butyrate and valerate (PHBV), with up to 10% (w/w) of valerate. Regarding EPS production, the screening showed that the isolates were able to produce polymers in variable amounts, with vast and complex structural variations. Strains from genera Acidovorax, Aurantimonas and Luteibacter were further selected for quantitative analysis of EPS production and analytical characterization of the obtained biopolymer. After analyses using NMR, MALDI-TOF, SEC-UV-ELSD and GC-MS, bacteria from genus Luteibacter produced a highly complex polymer rich in mannose, glucose, fucose and xylose; genus Acidovorax produced a glucomannan-type EPS with a high degree of branching; and genus Aurantimonas was able to produce up to 2 g.L-1 of a water insoluble EPS. In face of these results, it was possible to conclude that D. speciosa microbiota showed to be extremely rich in bacterial species viable for exploratory studies with biotechnological context of biopolymer production. Investigated strains showed promising characteristics to be further evaluated in larger scale (fermenters), especially the bacteria Aurantimonas sp., able to produce PHBV and EPS. / O desenvolvimento tecnológico e a pressão de mercado fizeram com que os polímeros se tornassem materiais estruturais amplamente utilizados em uma grande variedade de aplicações, sendo manufaturados a partir de uma ampla gama de monômeros. Entretanto, estes materiais geralmente apresentam algumas desvantagens do ponto de vista ambiental, pois os polímeros mais utilizados são produzidos com matérias-primas não renováveis e geram grandes volumes de resíduos não biodegradáveis. Assim, torna-se necessário o desenvolvimento sustentável de novos materiais biobaseados e biodegradáveis. O uso de microorganismos para a obtenção deste tipo de polímero é uma realidade bastante promissora. Todavia, para a produção viável em escala industrial é necessário superar barreiras econômicas, através do uso de cepas com boa assimilação de substratos de baixo custo, proporcionando uma alta produtividade. Assim, este trabalho teve por objetivo o isolamento e identificação de bactérias associadas ao inseto Diabrotica speciosa, bem como a avaliação da capacidade microbiana de produção de biopolímeros. O inseto apresentou uma grande diversidade em sua microbiota, mostrando ser este um nicho subexplorado e com enorme potencial para a investigação de novas espécies e/ou isolados. Com o propósito de encontrar isolados eficientes na produção de duas classes de biopolímeros, polihidroxialcanoatos (PHAs) e exopolissacarídeos (EPS), foram obtidos 73 isolados bacterianos do inseto praga Diabrotica speciosa. Todas as cepas foram identificadas em nível de gênero pelo uso de técnicas genéticas, através do sequenciamento de 16S rDNA parcial e por análises proteômicas, avaliando-se o perfil proteico obtido via MALDI-TOF MS. Ambas as técnicas de identificação apresentaram 100% de convergência entre os resultados. Foram encontrados no total 17 gêneros de bactérias, que foram submetidas a ensaios qualitativos de triagem para identificação de isolados produtores de PHAs pelo método do corante vermelho de Nilo, bem como para EPS pelo método do teste de ponto bacteriano. Isolados promissores em ambos os ensaios foram selecionados para estudos quantitativos e caracterização estrutural dos polímeros obtidos. As análises quantitativas para a produção de PHA corroboraram satisfatoriamente com os resultados qualitativos, com destaque para as bactérias do gênero Aurantimonas e Delftia que apresentaram alta capacidade de produção de PHA, com rendimentos de 50 e 90% de polímero em massa seca, respectivamente, sendo ambas as cepas capazes de utilizar substratos como glicose, acetato e glicerol. Análises por GC-MS realizadas após metanólise do polímero indicaram que Aurantimonas sp. produziu majoritariamente homopolímero de polihidroxibutirato (PHB), enquanto Delftia sp. foi capaz de produzir um copolímero contendo monômeros do tipo butirato e valerato (PHBV), contendo até 10% em massa de valerato. Com relação à produção de EPS, a triagem indicou que os isolados se mostraram capazes de produzir polímeros em quantidade variáveis, com uma grande e complexa variação estrutural. Isolados dos gêneros Acidovorax, Aurantimonas e Luteibacter foram selecionados para avaliação quantitativa da produção de EPS e caracterização estrutural do biopolímero. Após análises por NMR, MALDI-TOF, SEC-UV-ELSD e GC-MS, o gênero Luteibacter produziu um polímero altamente complexo contendo manose, glicose, fucose e xilose, o gênero Acidovorax produziu um EPS do tipo glucomanana altamente ramificado;= e o gênero Aurantimonas foi capaz de produzir até 2 g.L-1 de um EPS insolúvel em água. Deste modo, foi possível concluir que a microbiota de D. speciosa se apresentou extremamente rica em isolados microbianos viáveis para estudos exploratórios no contexto biotecnológico de produção de biopolímeros. Os isolados investigados apresentaram características promissoras para serem futuramente avaliadas em escalas maiores (fermentadores), especialmente a bactéria Aurantimonas sp., que foi capaz de produzir tanto PHBV, quanto EPS.

This study has been concerned with the design and synthesis of A TP analogues with the potential to act as inhibitors of glutamine synthetase - a novel target for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of tuberculosis. Using a structural -analogy approach, various 3-indolylalkanoic acid, benzimidazole and pyrazolo[3,4-dJpyrimidine derivatives have been prepared and characterized. Alkylation of the heterocyclic bases using 4-(bromomethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1 ,3-d ioxolane, 2-(bromomethoxy)ethyl acetate and 2-(chloroethoxy)ethanol in the presence of either NaH or BulOK afforded the corresponding N-alkylated derivatives of benzimidazole and 4-aminopyrazolo[3,4-dJpyrimidine (4-APP). Similar reactions with 3-indo lylalkanoic esters resulted in O-alkyl cleavage with the formation of new esters. Alkylation of benzimidazole with allyl bromide, 4-bromobutene and 2-methylbut-2-ene has also been shown to afford the corresponding l-alkenylbenzimidazoles in moderate to excellent yield (43-96%). Subsequent oxidation of these products using CTAP, gave the dihydroxy derivatives in poor to good yields (26-77%). Phosphorylation of various hydroxy derivatives of benzimidazole and 4-APP has been achieved using diethyl chlorophosphate to afford the corresponding monophosphate and 1,2-diphosphate esters. Glycosylation of each of the heterocyclic bases has been successfully achieved using 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-acetyl-D-glucopyranose and SnCl4 in acetonitri le, while methanolysis of the resulting tetraacetates, using methanolic NaOMe, afforded the hydroxy derivatives in good yield (50-70%). Various 1- and 2-dimensional NMR spectroscopic methods (e.g., IH, 13C, lip, COSY, HSQC and HMBC) have been used to confirm the structures of the synthesized A IP analogues. The application of NMR prediction programmes has been explored, permitting assessment of their agreement with the experimental data and confirmation of assigned structures. High-resolution electron impact (EI) mass spectrometric data have been used to explore the mass fragmentation pathways exhibited by selected derivatives, and certain common fragmentations have been identified. Molecular modelling of selected products as potential glutamine synthetase ligands has been performed on the Accelrys Cerius2 platform, and interactive receptor-ligand docking studies have been conducted using the Ligand-Fit module. These studies have revealed possible hydrogen-boding interactions between the selected analogues and various amino acid residues in the glutamine synthetase active site.

<div>The first chapter reports a study of aryl nitrene intermediates. Although extensively studied over the past 30 years, phenyl nitrenes have a propensity to undergo rearrangement reactions and form polymeric tars. This is in stark contrast to the phenyl carbenes which are known to undergo several important reactions to produce a library of useful organic compounds. One such reaction is the insertion of phenyl carbenes into a double bond to produce a cyclopropane moiety. If aryl nitrenes can be exploited to conjure a similar reactivity, they would be an excellent synthetic route to produce aziridine rings which are a crucial component of many natural products. This review chapter is a collection of all the efforts that have been made in this regard.</div><div><br></div><div>In the next chapter, the electronic effect of the azide functional group on an aromatic system has been investigated by using Hammett-Taft parameters obtained from the effect of azide-substitution on the gas-phase acidity of phenol. Gas-phase acidities of 3- and 4-azidophenol have been measured by using mass spectrometry and the kinetic method and found to be 340.8 ± 2.2 and 340.3 ± 2.0 kcal/mol respectively. The relative electronic effects of the azide substituent on an aromatic system have been measured by using Hammett-Taft parameters. The σF and σR values are determined to be 0.38 and 0.02 respectively, consistent with predictions based on electronic structure calculations. The values of σF and σR demonstrate that azide acts an inductively withdrawing group but has negligible resonance contribution on the phenol. In contrast, acidity values calculated for substituted benzoic acids gives values of σF = 0.69 and σR = -0.39, indicating that the azide is a strong  donor, comparable to that of a hydroxyl group. The difference is explained as being the result of “chimeric” electronic behavior of the azide, similar to that observed previously for the n-oxide moiety, which can be more or less resonance donating depending on the electronic effects of other groups in the system.</div><div><br></div><div>Phenyl nitrenes undergo bimolecular chemistry under very specific circumstances. For example, having an oxide substituent at the para position of the phenyl ring enables the formation of an indophenol product from a photocatalyzed reaction of the nitrene. Although, this reaction has been reported before, the mechanism involved in this reaction has not been fully understood. A two-electron mechanism involving electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction has been proposed in the literature, however we found evidence that did not support this theory. Instead, we find this reaction analogous to the popular Gibbs’ reaction whose single electron transfer mechanism has been extensively studied. The following chapter encompasses a study of the mechanism of the photolysis reaction to look for evidence of a single electron transfer similar to the Gibbs’ reaction.</div><div><br></div><div>As mentioned earlier, phenyl nitrenes have a proclivity to undergo rearrangement reactions instead of exhibiting bimolecular reactivity that can lead to useful products. One of the strategies to overcome this challenge is to spatially separate the two electrons of an open-shell singlet nitrene so as to minimize electron-electron repulsion. This separation can be achieved by delocalizing the individual electrons over multiple aromatic rings and heteroatoms which can act as radical stabilizers. In this chapter, a short review of literature that sets precedence for developing a unique heteroatom containing aromatic backbone to achieve the necessary stabilization is presented. Our efforts in synthesizing the model azide precursor compound have also been discussed.</div>

<p>High resolution tandem mass spectrometry (MSⁿ) coupled with various separation techniques, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC), is widely used to analyze mixtures of unknown organic compounds. In a mass spectrometric analysis, analytes of interest are at first transferred into the gas phase, ionized (protonated or deprotonated) and introduced into the instrument. Tandem mass spectrometric experiments may then be used to gain insights into structure and reactivity of the analyte ions in the gas phase. The tandem mass spectral data are often compared to those reported in external databases. However, the tandem mass spectra obtained for protonated analytes may be markedly different from those in external databases because protonation site manifested during a mass spectrometric experiment can be affected by the ionization technique, ionization solvents and condition of the ion source. This thesis focuses on investigating the effects of instrumental conditions and analyte concentrations on the protonation sites of 4-aminobenzoic acid. Reactivities of radical species were also investigated. A modified bracketing method was developed and proton affinities of a series of mono- and biradicals of pyridine were measured. In another study, a <i>para</i>-benzyne analog was generated in both solution and the gas phase and its reactivities towards various neutral reagents in the gas phase were compared to those in solution.</p> <p> Chapter 2 discusses the fundamental aspects of the instruments used in this research. In chapter 3, the effects of residual moisture in linear quadrupole ion trap on the protonation sites of 4-aminobenzoic acid are considered. Chapter 4 focuses on the use of gas-phase ion-molecule reactions with trimethoxymethylsilane (TMMS) for the identification of the protonation sites of 4-aminobenzoic acid. Further, the effects of analyte concentration on the protonation sites of 4-aminobenzoic acid are considered. Chapter 5 introduces a modified bracketing method for the experimental determination of proton affinities of a series of pyridine-based mono- and biradicals. In chapter 6, successful generation of <i>para</i>-benzynes in solution is discussed. The reactivity of a <i>para</i>-benzyne analog, 1,4-didehydrophenazine, is compared to its reactivity in the gas phase.</p>

<div>Mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful and versatile analytical tool, especially for identification and analysis of complex mixtures. Coupling to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or gas chromatography (GC) provides additional dimension for mixture analysis. MS manipulates ionized analytes and separates them based on their mass-to-charge (<i>m/z</i>) ratios. MS is capable of providing molecular weight (MW) information by generating pseudo-molecular ions of the analytes. Detailed elemental compositions can be also obtained if high resolution MS is used. MS can also provide extensive structural information of the analyte ions. One of the most commonly used technique is tandem mass spectrometry (MSⁿ). Ions of interest are isolated and subject to sequential reactions (reactions with other molecules or dissociation reactions) to generate product ions that can provide structural information. MS is also a powerful tool for generating and studying highly reactive reaction intermediates, such as organic polyradicals.</div><div><br></div><div>The research described in this dissertation mainly focuses on the generation and gas-phase reactivity studies of different organic biradicals. Their reactions with various organic reagents are studied, and the reactivity-controlling factors are discussed. For example, the reactivity of several substituted pyridine-based biradical cations with 2,6-topology are discussed (all with singlet ground states), and their special reactivity from their excited triplet states are illustrated. Besides, several quinoline-based biradicals and cyano-substituted pyridine-based <i>para</i>-benzyne cations are also discussed. Some of the radicals (or ions) described in this dissertation are generated for the first time, i.e. the quinoline-based oxenium cations. Their structural characterization and gas-phase reactivity toward some organic molecules are discussed in the dissertation. Further, an electrophilic anion, <i>closo</i>-[B₁₂X₁₁]^- (X = Cl, Br) and its application in the activation of C-H and C-C bonds in hydrocarbon molecules are described in the dissertation.</div>

The function of many biological processes depends on the structure and composition of the biomolecules involved. Both spectroscopy and mass spectrometry provide complimentary information regarding the three-dimensional conformation and the composition, respectively, as well as many other things. Here, double resonance conformer specific spectroscopy coupled with the latest ab inito computational methods is used to make structural assignments at the atomic resolution as well obtain information regarding propensities of intramolecular interactions. Additionally, rapid cooling in conjunction with IR excitation to modulate and measure the relative populations of conformers present in the expansion. Two different designer peptide systems are studied, including an achiral acylated 𝛼-aminoisobutryic acid dipeptide (Ac-AIB2-R) with various C-terminal protecting groups (R=NHBn, NHBnF, 𝛼-methylbenzylamine) and an acylated 𝛾4-phenylalanine (Ac-𝛾4Phe-NHMe) with the a methyl amine C-terminal protecting group. Mass spectrometry is used to determine the kinetics of gas-phase covalent tagging reactions used to enhance the sequence coverage. The covalent modification reactions utilize click chemistry between NHS or HOBt substituted sulfobenzoic acid tags with nucleophiles present on the residues of the amino acids composing the backbone. Effective temperatures are approximated using the Tolmachev model, which relates the statistical average internal energy of the molecule to a temperature.

<div> <div> <div> <p>Understanding protein-protein interactions (PPIs) in a cell is essential for learning protein functions, pathways, and mechanisms of diseases. This dissertation introduces the computational method to predict PPIs. In the first chapter, the history of identifying protein interactions and some experimental methods are introduced. Because interacting proteins share similar functions, protein function similarity can be used as a feature to predict PPIs. NaviGO server is developed for biologists and bioinformaticians to visualize the gene ontology relationship and quantify their similarity scores. Furthermore, the computational features used to predict PPIs are summarized. This will help researchers from the computational field to understand the rationale of extracting biological features and also benefit the researcher with a biology background to understand the computational work. After understanding various computational features, the computational prediction method to identify large-scale PPIs was developed and applied to Arabidopsis, maize, and soybean in a whole-genomic scale. Novel predicted PPIs were provided and were grouped based on prediction confidence level, which can be used as a testable hypothesis to guide biologists’ experiments. Since affinity chromatography combined with mass spectrometry technique introduces high false PPIs, the computational method was combined with mass spectrometry data to aid the identification of high confident PPIs in large-scale. Lastly, some remaining challenges of the computational PPI prediction methods and future works are discussed. </p> </div> </div> </div>