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Analysis of biological macromolecules inside living cells by NMR spectroscopy (CAT#: STEM-MB-0655-WXH)

Introduction

The power of in-cell NMR spectroscopy lies not in determining structures de novo, but in observing changes in the structures of biological macromolecules and in their interaction with other cellular components. The exact position of a resonance line of an atomic nucleus (the chemical shift) is a sensitive function of its magnetic environment. Changes in this environment, caused by posttranslational modifications, conformational changes, or binding events, result in changes in the positions of the resonance line.




Principle

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, most commonly known as NMR spectroscopy or magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), is a spectroscopic technique to observe local magnetic fields around atomic nuclei. The sample is placed in a magnetic field and the NMR signal is produced by excitation of the nuclei sample with radio waves into nuclear magnetic resonance, which is detected with sensitive radio receivers. The intramolecular magnetic field around an atom in a molecule changes the resonance frequency, thus giving access to details of the electronic structure of a molecule and its individual functional groups. As the fields are unique or highly characteristic to individual compounds, in modern organic chemistry practice, NMR spectroscopy is the definitive method to identify monomolecular organic compounds. Biochemists use NMR to identify proteins and other complex molecules. Besides identification, NMR spectroscopy provides detailed information about the structure, dynamics, reaction state, and chemical environment of molecules.

Applications

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an analytical chemistry technique used in quality control and research for determining the content and purity of a sample as well as its molecular structure.

Procedure

1. Place the sample in a static magnetic field.
2. Excite nuclei in the sample with a radio frequency pulse.
11. Measure the frequency of the signals emitted by the sample.

Materials

NMR spectrometer