SCORE: Research Excellence at Cal State LA

California State University Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The California State University, Los Angeles MBRS SCORE Program requests to purchase a modern Bruker AVANCE-600 MHz super-conducting-nuclear-magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer. The ability to study molecular structure in more than a routine manner applies to all areas of chemistry, and increasingly in the biological sciences. High field NMR instrumentation is also now considered essential in life science departments nationwide in investigations dealing with structural biology. The acquisition of a 600 MHz instrument would again place Cal State LA in the forefront of chemical/biological molecular research within the California State University system. The greater sensitivity and resolution provided by the high magnetic field, the ability for both solution NMR and solid-state NMR, and the triple resonance capability enable analyses of large biomolecules in both liquid and solid states at lower concentrations, which is requested by our faculty and presently unavailable in our NMR laboratory. This spectrometer allows multi-dimensional single-to-triple resonance spectroscopy, such as Correlation Spectroscopy and Nuclear Overhauser Enhancement Spectrocopy, Hetero-nuclear Multiple Quantum Correlation and Hetero-nuclear Single Quantum Correlation, Heterronuclear Correlation, and 3-dimensional triple resonance experiments. The pulsed field-gradient ability improves the suppression of solvent signals for biomolecular samples and for other samples in extremely low concentrations. The pulsed field-gradient ability also enables a wide range of NMR experiments with gradient pulses. The solids level IIl upgrade is optimized for conventional CP/MAS spectroscopy and multi-pulse high-power experiments, such as Multiple Quantum and quadrupolar nuclear Multiple Quantum MagicAngle Spinning experiments, with high-speed phase shifting and extreme digitization rate. The high sensitivity and resolution gained from the high magnetic field make it possible for minimum amounts of solid-state proteins to be studied. The solid state triple-resonance probe allows the Spin Echo and Rotational Echo triple resonance experiments to be performed for determining inter-nuclear proximities for the study of protein-surface interactions, and for applications in material sciences. All of the above-described NMR experiments will be discussed in terms of the proposed faculty subprojects.