Date of Award

Spring 5-11-2012

Degree Type

Honors College Thesis

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

First Advisor

Douglas Masterson

Advisor Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Abstract

Inhibitors of glutathione reductase (GR) have been synthesized and studied in order to reverse an increasing trend in resistance to common malaria treatments. Analogues of glutathione (GSH) are being synthesized in order to increase resistance to proteolysis, thereby acting as an inhibitor of GR. Through the use of unnatural amino acids, solution-phase synthesis of GSH can be easily performed using modified cysteine (Cys) residues. A modified Cys residue, 2-α-methyl-β-cysteine, has been successfully synthesized, and coupling of this residue with the other required residues of GSH, glycine (Gly) and glutamic acid (Glu), has the potential to be successfully synthesized in good yields, thereby creating a stable GSH analogue.

Included in

Life Sciences Commons

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