This article is the result of a collaboration between CRMN Lyon, LISM (Aix-Marseille University, UMR 7255), the University of Delaware, and Bruker Biospin, within the framework of the European project PANACEA, which we are coordinating at CRMN.
We present a major breakthrough in solid-state NMR with magic-angle spinning (MAS), applied to the analysis of complex biomolecules. In particular, it is the first demonstration of the new Bruker 0.4 mm NMR probe, capable of reaching a spinning speed of 160 kHz, applied to biomolecular systems such as the model crystalline protein GB1 and the membrane protein Aquaporin Z inserted into a lipid bilayer.
The results highlight dramatic improvements in resolution, coherence times, and sensitivity, even from sample quantities below one milligram. These performances are made possible by major innovations in rotor design, sample handling, and thermal control. This advancement opens new perspectives for NMR analysis of biomolecules from minute quantities, with unparalleled precision. It paves the way for structural determination of challenging proteins, as well as detailed studies of their interactions and functional dynamics, especially in membrane environments. Beyond instrumental innovation, this study offers promising prospects for fundamental research and pharmaceutical development.
Find the full article here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.5c02466?ref=pdf.
