Instrumentation and Capabilities
The MUSC Shared Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility contains: a Varian UNITYINOVA- 400 (9.4 T), operating at 400MHz proton. This spectrometer provides a moderately high field multi-nuclear NMR capability to MUSC and the College of Charleston.
The UNITYINOVA- 400, a top-of-the-line spectrometer, is capable of running most contemporary homonuclear, heteronuclear one and two-dimensional pulse sequences, using pre-designed software. Pulse sequence programming has been simplified so that additional sequences can be installed.
The INOVA spectrometer is equipped with a 5mm pulse field gradient indirect detection probe with a frequency range of 39-161 MHz, which allows for the routine acquisition of 1D and 2D 1H-1H correlations as well as 1D 31P and 2D 1H-31P correlations. Indirectly detected 1H-13C, 1H -15N and 1H-31P spectral correlations are also routinely obtained. Directly detected 13C spectra as well as other nuclei with resonances between 39-161 MHz are also accessible. Gradient versions of some 2-dimensional pulse sequences are present as is a gradient shimming module for accurate and rapid shimming. As presently configured, the spectrometer can generate the less demanding shaped pulses, but the addition of waveform generators can be added if more sophisticated shaped pulsed are required. The availability of shaped pulses allow for very selective excitation of a selected resonance, which results in much improved water suppression in peptide NMR. Because of the magnetic field strength of the INOVA spectrometer, the practical peptide molecular weight limit for meaningful interpretation of 2D spectra is 3-4kDa.
If higher field spectra are required, MUSC researchers have access to state-of-the-art Brucker 500 MHz, 700 MHz, and 800 MHz instruments located at the Hollings Marine Lab (HML). The HML point of contact is Dr. Dan Bearden, dan.bearden@noaa.gov, 843-762-8865.
Quality Controls
Instrument performance is monitored regularly by the facility director, but it is the responsibility of each operator to shim the magnet and calibrate his/her spectra.
Accessibility
This facility is available to faculty and students at MUSC, The Citadel, Charleston Southern, and the University of Charleston. Non-academic users can be accommodated.
Charges (Subject to Change)
The 400 MHz NMR is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. User run spectra will be charged at $5 per hour Monday-Friday, 9:30am-4:30pm; $2.50 per hour Monday-Friday, 4:30pm-9:30 am and all day Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Non-academic users will be charged $50 per hour, with a one hour minimum.
Location:
Basic Science Building, Room 117
Please contact: John E. Oatis, Ph.D., (843) 792-4597.
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