Âé¶¹APP

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Biomolecular NMR Facility

round building
Biomolecular NMR Facility
Biomolecular NMR Facility Introductory Video

Overview

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) is a powerful technique that can provide information on molecular structure and dynamics at the atomic level. The naturally-occuring 1H isotope is the most sensitive NMR reporter. However, the very large number of 1H nuclei in macromolecules, can make the 1H-NMR spectrum intractable. Fortunately, with the advent of multi-dimensional techniques and methods in molecular biology to incorporateÌý13°ä,Ìý15N andÌý2H in biological macromolecules, it has become possible to probe the structure, dynamics andÌýbiochemistry of proteins, RNA, DNA, and carbohydrates with NMR. The Âé¶¹APP Biomolecular NMR center was created as a part of a transinstitutional initiative to develop structural biology on campus.

Photo of magnet installation
2011 Magnet Installation
NMR equipment 600 MHz IVDr with BBI and SampleJet
600 MHz IVDr with BBI and SampleJet

Facilities and Resources

The Biomolecular NMR Facility is locatedÌýat the heart of the Âé¶¹APP campus as part of the Stevenson Center complex. All instruments are housed in a dedicated NMR building.

  • Mission Statement

    The principal mission of the Biomolecular NMR Facility is to provide instrumentation for, and aid in obtaining data on the structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules. The Facility offers state-of-the-art instrumentation, training, software and assistance in designing experiments. We strive to help the Âé¶¹APP community realize the potential of biomolecular NMR and to work with NMR spectroscopists to stay current with the most recent experimental approaches.

  • NMR Equipment
    • 900 MHz NMR Spectrometer with CPTCI probe (1±á,Ìý2±á,Ìý13C,Ìý15N) for high sensitivity on proton and carbon (cold)
    • 800 MHz NMR Spectrometer with CPTCI probe (1±á,Ìý2±á,Ìý13°ä,Ìý19F,Ìý15N) for high sensitivity on proton, carbon and fluorine (cold)
    • 600 MHz NMR Spectrometer with CPTCI probe (1±á,Ìý2±á,Ìý13C,Ìý15N) for high sensitivity on proton and carbon (cold)
    • 600 MHz NMR Spectrometer with BBI probe primarily used for In Vitro Diagnostic research, analyzing biofluids for metabolites and lipid composition

    All instruments come with a 600-specimen Sample Changer for high-throughput measurements.

    • For more instrument specific and operational information please see .
    • The Biomolecular NMR Facility at Âé¶¹APP received its 900MHz NMR spectrometer on May 7, 2011.
  • More information
  • Small Molecular NMR Facility

    °Õ³ó±ðÌý is located in the Small Molecule NMR Vault adjacent to the Math Building and next to the Biomolecular Facility.

    The facility is well equipped for small molecule structural analysis and provides walk on NMR access. The Small Molecule Facility NMR facility operates four instruments, one of them located in a satellite facility in the new research building MRB IV.

    • 400 MHz Bruker AV-I-400 spectrometer with sample changer (BACS 60)
    • 400 MHz Bruker Nanobay-400 spectrometer with sample changer (Xpresss), located in MRB IV
    • 500 MHz Bruker AV-III-500 spectrometer
    • 600 MHz Bruker AV-III-600 spectrometer with cryoprobe and LC-SPE accessory

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  • Helium Re-Liquefier

    Our recovery plant recovers He at > 90% from all 7 magnets (VUBNMR and SMF) so we are no longer dependent on helium supply and price fluctuations.

  • Contacts and Organization

    Please address all questions and concerns directly to:

    Faculty Users Committee

    • Michael Stone, Chair, Biophysical Chemistry, Structural NMR Studies of DNA and the Adduction of DNA
    • Walter Chazin, Molecular Basis for the Biological Specificity and Biochemical Function of Proteins and Nucleic Acids
    • Steve Fesik, Cancer Drug Discovery Using Fragment-Based Approaches and Structure-Based Drug Design
    • Doug Kojetin, Defining Molecular Mechanisms of Drug Action
    • Jens Meiler, Structural and Chemical Biology, computational and experimental efforts to investigate proteins
    • Chuck Sanders, Chair, Structural and Chemical Biology of Membrane Proteins and Related Diseases
  • Technical Support

    Support is available for questions regarding hardware, software and experimental design.

    If you are having a hardware problem during scheduled NMR time, please contact a member of the staff immediately.

    All other questions, problems, or requests for assistance are best dealt with using theÌýCSB Trouble Ticket SystemÌýdirecting your query to the nmr queue. The trouble ticket system allows for documentation that can be of great value in understanding where problems exist. This system is of particular value to the users because it keeps support requests active until resolved and not simply forgotten.

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  • Publication Acknowledgements

    It is imperative that we acknowledge the shared instrumentation grants from NSF and NIH that enabled the purchase of our 900 and the complete upgrade of the rest of our Facility. Each user of the Biomolecular NMR Facility is required to include the following citation in any publication that has data acquired at the Facility.

    “Supported in part by grants for NMR instrumentation from theÌýNSF-MRI (0922862), acquisition of a 900 MHz Ultra-High Field NMR spectrometer in 2009;ÌýNIH (S10 RR025677)Ìýfor console upgrades on all biomolecular NMR spectrometers in 2009;ÌýNIH (R35GM118089-04S1),ÌýaÌýÂé¶¹APP Trans-Institutional Programs (TIPs)Ìýgrant to purchase the IVDr equipment in 2019,ÌýNIH supplement for the helium liquefier in 2019;ÌýNIH S10OD034276Ìýto replace the 800 MHz spectrometer in 2024, accompanied by Âé¶¹APP University matching funds.â€

Small Molecule NMR and He Liquefier

400 MHz with BBFO probe
400 MHz with BBFO probe
AV-III 500 with BBFO
AV-III 500 with BBFO
He Liquefier
He Liquefier