Kite, Geoffrey C.
Job TitleResearch Phytochemist (Mass Spectrometry)
DepartmentJodrell Laboratory
SectionSustainable Uses
Science Teams:
- Lamiaceae
- Large-Scale Syntheses
- Leguminosae
- Malpighiales
- Monocots I: General Alismatids & Lilioids
- United Kingdom
- Drylands: Africa
- Myrtaceae
- Conventions and Policies
Joined Kew: 1986
Qualifications & Appointments
BSc, Botany, Univ. London, 1982
PhD, Univ. London, 1986
ARPS, Royal Photographic Society (1986)
Committee, Phytochemical Society of Europe (1988-1991)
Committee, VAM Mass Spectrometry Working Group (2004-2006)
Production Editor, Kew Scientist (1992 - to date)
Editor, Specialist Science & Conservation News, Kew website (2010 - to date)
Role
Use of mass spectrometry to study plant chemical diversity.
Responsible for the development of mass spectrometry in the Jodrell Laboratory in the analysis of ‘small molecules’ in plants. Techniques utilizing mass spectrometry are fundamental to Kew's research in systematic phytochemistry, natural product discovery and the chemical authentication of plant extracts or products, and also contribute to many studies on the sustainable uses of plants and answering enquiries. Current instrumentation comprises a high resolution liquid chromatograph–hybrid ion trap/orbitrap mass spectrometer, a liquid chromatograph–quadrupole mass spectrometer and a gas chromatograph–quadrupole mass spectrometer with thermal desorption capability. Systematic phytochemical applications are being undertaken in Leguminosae, monocots, Malpighiales, Myrtaceae and Lamiaceae in collaboration with taxonomists and phytochemists at Kew and from other institutions. Chemical authentication of plant extracts or products focuses on issues arising from plants or extracts being traded in the UK, while enquiries are often concerned with poisoning cases.
Also responsible for producing Kew Scientist and the more specialist Science & Conservation News stories on the Kew website.
Projects
- African Dryland Alliance for Pesticidal-Plant Technologies (ADAPPT)
- Authentication and Chemical Fingerprinting of Economically Important Species
- Diversity of Biologically Active Plants and Plant-Derived Compound
- Chemistry and Biological Activity of Myrtaceae
- Chemosystematics and Biological Activity of Alismatid and Lilioid Monocots
- Chemosystematics and biological activity of Lamiaceae
- CITES-Listed Timbers
- The Dalbergioid Legumes (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae)
- Importance of Legumes and Legume-Derived Compounds in Medicine and Agriculture
- Medicinal Uses of British Plants
- New Phylogeny of the Caesalpinioideae, Leguminosae
- Plant-Insect Interactions
- Systematic Phytochemistry of Legumes
- Systematic Phytochemical and Sustainable Use Studies in Malpighiales
- Systematics, Sustainable Use and Conservation of Tribe Ocimeae (Basil and Allies, Lamiaceae)
- Wood Anatomy of Leguminosae
Selected Recent Publications
Kite, G.C. & Veitch, N.C. (2011). Identification of common glycosyl groups of flavonoid O-glycosides by serial mass spectrometry of sodiated species. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 25: 2579–2590
Kite, G.C., Green, P.W.C, Veitch, N.C, Groves, M.C., Gasson, P.E. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2010). Dalnigrin, a neoflavonoid marker for the identification of Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) in CITES enforcement. Phytochemistry 71: 1122-1131.
Kite, G.C. & Veitch, N.C. (2009). Assigning glucose or galactose as the primary glycosidic sugar in 3-O-mono-, di- and triglycosides of kaempferol using negative ion electrospray and serial mass spectrometry. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 23: 3125-3132.
Kite, G.C., Porter, E.A. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2007). Chromatographic behaviour of steroidal saponins studied by high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A 1148: 177–183.
Kite, G.C., Stoneham, C.A., Veitch, N.C., Stein, B.K. & Whitwell, K.E. (2006). Application of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to the investigation of poisoning by Oenanthe crocata. Journal of Chromatography B 838: 63-70.
Selected Earlier Publications
Kite, G.C., Howes, M-J.R. & Simmonds M.S.J. (2004). Metabolomic analysis of saponins in crude extracts of Quillaja saponaria by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for product authentication. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 18: 2859-2870.
Kite, G.C., Howes, M.-J. R., Leon, C. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2003). Liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry of malonyl-ginsenosides in the authentication of ginseng. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 17: 238-244.
Kite, G.C., Veitch, N.C, Grayer, R.J. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2003). The use of hyphenated techniques in comparative phytochemical studies of legumes. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 31: 813-843.
Kite, G.C., Yule, M.A., Leon, C. & Simmonds, M.S.J. (2002). Detecting aristolochic acids in herbal remedies by liquid chromatography/serial mass spectrometry. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 16: 585-590.
Kite G.C., Lawrence T.J. & Dauncey E.A. (2000). Detecting Taxus poisoning in horses using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Veterinary and Human Toxicology 42:151-4.
