Reduction of RF-induced sample heating with a scroll coil resonator structure for solid-state NMR probes

J Magn Reson. 2005 Mar;173(1):40-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jmr.2004.11.015.

Abstract

Heating due to high power 1H decoupling limits the experimental lifetime of protein samples for solid-state NMR (SSNMR). Sample deterioration can be minimized by lowering the experimental salt concentration, temperature or decoupling fields; however, these approaches may compromise biological relevance and/or spectroscopic resolution and sensitivity. The desire to apply sophisticated multiple pulse experiments to proteins therefore motivates the development of probes that utilize the RF power more efficiently to generate a high ratio of magnetic to electric field in the sample. Here a novel scroll coil resonator structure is presented and compared to a traditional solenoid. The scroll coil is demonstrated to be more tolerant of high sample salt concentrations and cause less RF-induced sample heating. With it, the viable experimental lifetime of a microcrystalline ubiquitin sample has been extended by more than an order of magnitude. The higher B1 homogeneity and permissible decoupling fields enhance polarization transfer efficiency in 15N-13C correlation experiments employed for protein chemical shift assignments and structure determination.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Equipment Design
  • Hot Temperature*
  • Nitrogen Isotopes
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular / instrumentation*
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Organophosphorus Compounds
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Radio Waves
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Transducers

Substances

  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Nitrogen Isotopes
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Organophosphorus Compounds
  • Proteins
  • thulium(III) 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N'',N'''-tetramethylenephosphonate
  • Sodium Chloride