Solid-state NMR and the study of complex biological systems

Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a powerful technique to provide structural and dynamical information on macromolecules in their natural environment. As opposed to the better known solution NMR which studies fast-tumbling molecules dissolved in a solvent, solid-state NMR explores molecules which fall in the “solid” side of the NMR timescale such as fibers, powders and gels. The instrumental progress made in the last decade as well as the advances in the pulse sequences have enabled the study of more and more complex biological systems including natural fibers such as spider silk and amyloids, membrane proteins in their membrane environment as well as intact cells, to name a few. In this seminar, we will present how solid-state NMR enables us to tackle biological systems, from mussel anchoring threads to intact microorganisms. Using state-of-the-art methods, we were able to refine the structural model of the collagen-rich mussel byssus fibers and determine the dynamical changes in the threads during tide cycle. We will also present how we could determine the action mechanism of antibacterial agents on E. coli by ²H solid-state NMR, and characterize the lipid and carbohydrate content in intact microalgae using multidimensional ¹³C experiments.

All Faculty, staff and students are invited
Coffee will be served in the Department of Physics
SP-367-11 at 2:30 PM
Information: 514 848-2424 ext. 3270