The Role of Rotational Motion in Diffusion NMR Experiments on Supramolecular Assemblies: Application to Sup35NM Fibrils.

Pulsed-field gradient (PFG) NMR is an important tool for characterization of biomolecules and supramolecular assemblies. However, for micrometer-sized objects, such as amyloid fibrils, these experiments become difficult to interpret because in addition to translational diffusion they are also sensitive to rotational diffusion. We have constructed a mathematical theory describing the outcome of PFG NMR experiments on rod-like fibrils. To test its validity, we have studied the fibrils formed by Sup35NM segment of the prion protein Sup35. The interpretation of the PFG NMR data in this system is fully consistent with the evidence from electron microscopy. Contrary to some previously expressed views, the signals originating from disordered regions in the fibrils can be readily differentiated from the similar signals representing small soluble species (e.g. proteolytic fragments). This paves the way for diffusion-sorted NMR experiments on complex amyloidogenic samples.

Experimental strategies for 13C-15N dipolar NMR spectroscopy in liquid crystals at the natural isotopic abundance.

Direct dipolar spin couplings are informative and sensitive probes for a wide range of dynamic processes and structural properties at atomic, molecular and supramolecular levels in liquid crystals and other anisotropic materials. Usually, heteronuclear 13C-1H dipolar couplings in liquid crystals with natural 13C abundance are measured. Recording 13C-15N NMR dipolar spectra in unlabeled materials is challenging because of the unfavorable combination of two rare isotopes. Here we design and compare various experimental strategies to measure short- and long-range heteronuclear 13C-15N dipolar couplings in liquid crystalline samples with high molecular orientational order. New techniques were developed to record 13C and 15N spectra of naturally occurring 13C-15N spin pairs with increased signal intensity and spectral resolution while suppressing the signals of the uncoupled isotopes. Highly resolved 13C-15N dipolar spectra were recorded within an experimental time of a few hours. Coupling constants in a broad range of 10-1000 Hz between spins separated by up to five chemical bonds and distances of up to 5 Å were measured. Because of their relatively low demands on radio-frequency power levels, the experiments were easy to implement using conventional high-resolution solution-state NMR hardware. Experimental data were compared to the results of density functional theory and molecular dynamics computational analyses. The presented experimental methods to characterize the dipolar couplings in unlabeled materials provide novel routes to investigate molecular structure and dynamics in mesophases.

Phase transitions and chain dynamics of surfactants intercalated into the galleries of naturally occurring clay mineral magadiite.

We investigate conformational dynamics and phase transitions of surfactant molecules confined in the layered galleries of the organo-modified, natural polysilicate clay, magadiite. We have shown that our approach to studying this class of materials is capable of delivering detailed information on the molecular mobility of the confined molecules. From the analysis of the measured heteronuclear dipolar couplings, the orientational order parameters of the C-H bonds along the hydrocarbon chain have been determined. Three phases have been observed in the nanocomposite, characterized by distinct dynamical states of the surfactant. At room temperature, restricted mobility of the molecules led to the adoption of an essentially all-trans conformation by the chains. This behavior can be described by a model incorporating small-angle wobbling around the long molecular axes of the chains. Upon heating, dynamic transformation takes place, resulting in a rotator type solid phase where molecules in extended all-trans conformations undergo fast and unrestricted rotation about their respective symmetry axes. The second phase transition is associated with chain melting and the onset of translational dynamics and results in an essentially liquid-crystalline-like state of the organic component. The mobility of the surfactant is one of the key factors facilitating the efficient penetration of macromolecules in the process of preparing of polymer/organoclay nanocomposites. The exploration of dynamic properties of the functionalizing organic layer should provide important input into the improved design of new organic-inorganic hybrid materials.