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Riqiang Fu

Publications and source records attributed to Riqiang Fu.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Histidines, heart of the hydrogen ion channel from influenza A virus: toward an understanding of conductance and proton selectivity.

The heart of the H+ conductance mechanism in the homotetrameric M2 H+ channel from influenza A is a set of four histidine side chains. Here, we show that protonation of the third of these imidazoles coincides with acid activation of this transmembrane channel and that, at physiological pH, the channel is closed by two imidazole-imidazolium dimers, each sharing a low-barrier hydrogen bond. This unique construct succeeds in distributing a pair of charges over four rings and many atoms in a low dielectric environment to minimize charge repulsion. These dimers form with identical pKas of 8.2 +/- 0.2, suggesting cooperative H+ binding and clearly illustrating high H+ affinity for this channel. The protonation behavior of the histidine side chains has been characterized by using solid-state NMR spectroscopy on the M2 transmembrane domain in fully hydrated lipid bilayers where the tetrameric backbone structure is known. Furthermore, electrophysiological measurements of multichannel and single-channel experiments confirm that these protein constructs are functional.

Dimerization↗

A large volume flat coil probe for oriented membrane proteins.

15N detection of mechanically aligned membrane proteins benefits from large sample volumes that compensate for the low sensitivity of the observe nuclei, dilute sample preparation, and for the poor filling factor arising from the presence of alignment plates. Use of larger multi-tuned solenoids, however, is limited by wavelength effects that lead to inhomogeneous RF fields across the sample, complicating cross-polarization experiments. We describe a 600 MHz 15N-1H solid-state NMR probe with large (580 mm3) RF solenoid for high-power, multi-pulse sequence experiments, such as polarization inversion spin exchange at the magic angle (PISEMA). In order to provide efficient detection for 15N, a 4-turn solenoidal sample coil is used that exceeds 0.27 lambda at the 600 MHz 1H resonance. A balanced tuning-matching circuit is employed to preserve RF homogeneity across the sample for adequate magnetization transfer from 1H to 15N. We describe a procedure for optimization of the shorted 1/4 lambda coaxial trap that allows for the sufficiently strong RF fields in both 1H and 15N channels to be achieved within the power limits of 300 W 1H and 1 kW 15N amplifiers. The 8 x 6 x 12 mm solenoid sustains simultaneous B1 irradiation of 100 kHz at 1H frequency and 51 kHz at 15N frequency for at least 5 ms with 265 and 700 W of input power in the respective channels. The probe functionality is demonstrated by 2D 15N-1H PISEMA spectroscopy for two applications at 600 MHz.

Animals↗

Analysis of RF heating and sample stability in aligned static solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Sample instability during solid-state NMR experiments frequently arises due to RF heating in aligned samples of hydrated lipid bilayers. A new, simple approach for estimating sample temperature is used to show that, at 9.4 T, sample heating depends mostly on (1)H decoupling power rather than on (15)N irradiation in PISEMA experiments. Such heating for different sample preparations, including lipid composition, salt concentration and hydration level was assessed and the hydration level was found to be the primary parameter correlated with sample heating. The contribution to RF heating from the dielectric loss appears to be dominant under our experimental conditions. The heat generated by a single scan was approximately calculated from the Q values of the probe, to be a 1.7 degrees C elevation per single pulse sequence iteration under typical sample conditions. The steady-state sample temperature during PISEMA experiments can be estimated based on the method presented here, which correlates the loss factor with the temperature rise induced by the RF heating of the sample.

Hot Temperature↗

Molecular dynamics of poly(L-lactide) biopolymer studied by wide-line solid-state 1H and 2H NMR spectroscopy.

The molecular dynamics of poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) biopolymer was characterized through analyses of 1H and 2H NMR line-shapes and spin-lattice relaxation times at different temperatures. At low temperatures (e.g. 90 K), the methyl group rotation is dominant leading to a significant reduction in the proton second moment. Fast methyl group reorientation occurs at ca. 130 K. In additional to the fast methyl group rotation, hydroxyl groups start to reorient as the temperature increases further, eventually leading to the breakdown of the segments of the biopolymer chains above its glass transition temperature Tg of 323 K. The analyses of the 2H NMR line-shapes indicate that both the methyl and hydroxyl reorientations can be described by the so-called cone model, in which the former has three equilibrium positions with theta(C-D) = 70.5 degrees and phi = 120 degrees while the latter one exhibits two equilibrium positions with theta(O-D) = 78 degrees and phi = 180 degrees .

Biopolymers↗

Characterization of reactive sites in supported catalysts by 51V/15N rotational echo double resonance NMR spectroscopy: formation of phenylimido groups at surface-bound oxovanadium sites.

Silica-supported oxovanadium groups were reacted in a gas-solid reaction with aniline at 175 degrees C. The reaction was clean as monitored in situ by UV-vis spectroscopy and resulted in the elimination of water as the principal product of the reaction and the disappearance of the terminal V=O stretch in the Raman spectrum. 15N MAS solid-state NMR spectroscopy showed only a single nitrogen-containing species on the surface. Proton-dephased 15N NMR showed only weak attenuation of its intensity, indicating that there are no protons directly bonded to the nitrogen. The formation of a vanadium-imido covalent bond was characterized by 51V/15N rotational echo double resonance NMR spectroscopy where the quadrupolar 51V nucleus was monitored and the spin-1/2 15N nucleus was dephased.

Catalysis↗

Towards quantitative measurements in solid-state CPMAS NMR: A Lee-Goldburg frequency modulated cross-polarization scheme.

A new scheme combining a Lee-Goldburg (LG) sequence with frequency modulation is proposed for cross-polarization (LG-FMCP) in solid-state magic-angle-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance. During the CP contact time, the (1)H magnetization is spin-locked along the magic angle by the LG sequence and the irradiation offset of the S spins (e.g., (15)N) is modulated sinusoidally with a constant RF amplitude. It is shown experimentally that the LG sequence significantly lengthens the proton spin-lattice relaxation time in the tilted rotating frame and that the frequency modulation shortens the cross-polarization time for non-protonated S spins. As a result of substantially increasing the difference in these relaxation rates, the non-protonated and protonated S spins can be more efficiently and more uniformly polarized with a relatively long CP contact time, making quantitative CP measurements possible. A sample of (15)N-delta 1-L-histidine lyophilized from a solution of pH 6.3 and a (15)N-delta 1-L-His labeled transmembrane helical peptide in hydrated lipid bilayers were used to illustrate the advantages of this scheme.

Journal Article↗

Cross-polarization schemes for peptide samples oriented in hydrated phospholipid bilayers.

Continuous-wave, ramped amplitude, and frequency modulated cross-polarization schemes (abbreviated as CWCP, RACP, and FMCP, respectively) are evaluated for static samples in anisotropic phases, such as peptides oriented in lipid environments. It is shown experimentally that both RACP and FMCP give rise to 20% higher polarized signal intensity in comparison to CWCP. The CP matching bandwidths for CWCP and RACP are about the same. Because of its adiabaticity, FMCP has a much broader CP matching bandwidth than CWCP and RACP. In addition, the (15)N RF amplitude used at the center of the FMCP matching profile is much lower than that of the CWCP and RACP matching profiles. A sample of [(15)N]Leu(4) labeled gramicidin A oriented in lipid bilayers was used to demonstrate these experiments.

Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine↗

Towards guest-zeolite interactions: an NMR spectroscopic approach.

Guest(metal)-zeolite interactions in a two component heterogeneous catalyst have been investigated by high-field and high-speed (27)Al MAS NMR, and two-dimensional (27)Al MQ MAS NMR experiments as well as ab initio DFT methods. It was established that strong interactions between guest and zeolite occur in a metal/zeolite system, with the metal anchored to the tetrahedral aluminum framework site through two oxygen bridges. It disturbs the tetrahedral environment of associated aluminum framework, changing AlO(4) geometry from near T(d) to C(2v); this enables us to resolve this species from the undisturbed aluminum framework species in high-field (27)Al MAS NMR and two-dimesional (27)Al MQ MAS NMR experiments.

Journal Article↗

NMR spin locking of proton magnetization under a frequency-switched Lee-Goldburg pulse sequence.

The spin dynamics of NMR spin locking of proton magnetization under a frequency-switched Lee-Goldburg (FSLG) pulse sequence is investigated for a better understanding of the line-narrowing mechanism in PISEMA experiments. For the sample of oriented 15N(1,3,5,7)-labeled gramicidin A in hydrated DMPC bilayers, it is found that the spin-lattice relaxation time T(1rho)(H) in the tilted rotating frame is about five times shorter when the 1H magnetization is spin locked at the magic angle by the FSLG sequence compared to the simple Lee-Goldburg sequence. It is believed that the rapid phase alternation of the effective fields during the FSLG cycles results in averaging of the spin lock field so that the spin lock becomes less efficient. A FSLG supercycle has been suggested here to slow the phase alternation. It has been demonstrated experimentally that a modified PISEMA pulse sequence with such supercycles gives rise to about 30% line narrowing in the dipolar dimension in the PISEMA spectra compared to a standard PISEMA pulse sequence.

Gramicidin↗

The effect of Hartmann-Hahn mismatching on polarization inversion spin exchange at the magic angle.

The effect of the Hartmann-Hahn mismatch delta = omega(eff)-omega(1S) during polarization inversion spin exchange at the magic angle (PISEMA) has been investigated, where omega(eff) and omega(1S) represent the amplitudes of the 1H effective spin-locking field at the magic angle and the 15N RF spin-locking field, respectively. During the PISEMA evolution period, the exact Hartmann-Hahn match condition (i.e., delta = 0) yields a maximum dipolar scaling factor of 0.816 for PISEMA experiments, while any mismatch results in two different effective fields for the first and second half of each frequency switched Lee-Goldburg (FSLG) cycle. The mismatch effect on the scaling factor depends strongly on the transition angle from one effective field to the other within each FSLG cycle as well as on the cycle time. At low RF spin-lock amplitudes in which the FSLG cycle time is relatively long, the scaling factor rapidly becomes smaller as omega(1S) becomes greater than omega(eff). On the other hand, when omega(1S) < omega(eff), there is relatively little effect on the scaling factor with variation in delta. As a result, the presence of RF inhomogeneities may significantly broaden the line-width in the dipolar dimension because of the mismatch effect. Higher RF spin-lock amplitudes result in a relatively small variation for the scaling factor. Furthermore, ramped amplitude of the 15N RF spin-lock field in synchronization with the flip-flop of the FSLG sequence minimizes the transition angle between the two effective fields within the FSLG cycle. It is shown experimentally that such a ramped amplitude not only gives rise to the same scaling factor but also results in a narrower dipolar line-width in comparison with the rectangular amplitude.

Gramicidin↗