Home-built solid-state NMR probe for membrane protein studies

Proteins in highly oriented lipid bilayer samples are useful to study membrane protein structure determination. Planar lipid bilayers aligned and supported on glass slide were prepared. These stack of glass slide with planar lipid bilayers are not well fit for commercial solid-state NMR probe with round coil. Therefore, homebuilt solid-state NMR probe was built and used for a stack of thin glass plates and RF coil is wrapping directly around the flat square sample. The overall filling factor of the coil is much better and the large surface area enhances the extent to orientation by providing uniform environments for the phospholipids and the high ratio of circumference to area reduces edge effects. H-1 and N-15 double resonance probe for 400 MHz NMR (9.4T) with a flat coil (coil size: 11 nun x 20 mm X 4 mm) is constructed and tested.