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Michael Gunther, Ph.D.

   Dr. Gunther is a classically trained biochemist with a long-standing interest in free radical reactions in biology.  He developed substantial expertise in the spin-trapping method for analysis of free radicals produced in chemical and biochemical reactions during his post-doctoral training, in particular for characterization of free radicals formed on proteins.

The sphere of interest: 

    Free radicals in biology, especially centered on proteins.  Characterization of those radical species via direct and spin-trapping electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. 

 Selected publications:

1. Gunther, M.R., Lardinois, O., Tschirret-Guth, R.A., and Ortiz de Montellano, P.R.  Tryptophan-14 is the preferred site of DBNBS spin trapping in the self-peroxidation reaction of sperm whale metmyoglobin.  Res. Toxicol. 16:652-660, 2003.

2. Shvedova, A. A., Kisin, E.R., Murray, A.R., Commineni, C., Castranova, V., Mason, R.P., Kadiska, M.B., and Gunther, M.R. Antioxidant balance and free radical generation in vitamin E deficient mice after dermal exposure to cumene hydroperoxide.  Res. Toxicol, 15:1451-1459, 2002. 

3. Gunther, M.R., Peters, J.A., and Sivaneri, M.K. Histidinyl radical formation in the self-peroxidation reaction of bovine copper-zinc superoxide dismutase.  Biol. Chem. 277, 9160-9166, 2002. 

4. Gunther, M.R., Sturgeon, B. E., and Mason, R. P. A long-lived tyrosyl radical from the reaction between horse metmyoglobin and hydrogen peroxide.  Free Radic. Biol. Med. 28, 709-719, 2000.

5. Chen, Y-R., Sturgeon, B.E., Gunther, M.R., and Mason, R.P. Electron spin resonance investigation of the cyanyl radical in cyanide/cytochrome c oxidase and azidyl radical in azide/cytochrome c oxidase/H2O2 J. Biol. Chem. 274, 24611-24616, 1999.