Topical Developments in High-Field Dynamic Nuclear Polarization

Triangulating Dopant-Level Mn(II) Insertion in a Cs2NaBiCl6 Double Perovskite Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Lead-free metal halide double perovskites are gaining increasing attention for optoelectronic applications. Specifically, doping metal halide double perovskites using transition metals enables broadband tailorability of the optical bandgap for these emerging semiconducting materials. One candidate material is Mn(II)-doped Cs₂NaBiCl₆, but the nature of Mn(II) insertion on chemical structure is poorly understood due to low Mn loading. It is critical to determine the atomic-level structure at the site of Mn(II) incorporation in doped perovskites to better understand the structure-property relationships in these materials and thus to advance their applicability to optoelectronic applications. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is uniquely qualified to address this, and thus a comprehensive three-pronged strategy, involving solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-field dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies, is used to identify the location of Mn(II) insertion in Cs₂NaBiCl₆. Multinuclear (²³Na, ³⁵Cl, ¹³³Cs, and ²⁰⁹Bi) one-dimensional (1D) magnetic resonance spectra reveal a low level of Mn(II) incorporation, with select spins affected by paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) induced by Mn(II) neighbors. EPR measurements confirm the oxidation state, octahedral symmetry, and low doping levels of the Mn(II) centers. Complementary EPR and NMR measurements confirm that the cubic structure is maintained with Mn(II) incorporation at room temperature, but the structure deviates slightly from cubic symmetry at low temperatures (<30 K). HYperfine Sublevel CORrelation (HYSCORE) EPR spectroscopy explores the electron-nuclear correlations of Mn(II) with ²³Na, ¹³³Cs, and ³⁵Cl. The absence of ²⁰⁹Bi correlations suggests that Bi centers are replaced by Mn(II). Endogenous DNP NMR measurements from Mn(II) → ¹³³Cs (<30 K) reveal that the solid effect is the dominant mechanism for DNP transfer and supports that Mn(II) is homogeneously distributed within the double-perovskite structure.

Solid-state NMR methods for the characterization of bioconjugations and protein-material interactions

Protein solid-state NMR has evolved dramatically over the last two decades, with the development of new hardware and sample preparation methodologies. This technique is now ripe for complex applications, among which one can count bioconjugation, protein chemistry and functional biomaterials. In this review, we provide our account on this aspect of protein solid-state NMR.

Biradical Polarizing Agents at High Fields

The sensitivity enhancements available from dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) are rapidly reshaping the research landscape and expanding the field of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as a tool for solving complex chemical and structural problems. The past decade has seen considerable advances in this burgeoning method, while efforts to further improve its capabilities continue along many avenues. In this report, we examine the influence of static magnetic field strength and temperature on the reported ¹H DNP enhancements from three conventional organic biradicals: TOTAPOL, AMUPol, and SPIROPOL. In contrast to the conventional wisdom, our findings show that at liquid nitrogen temperatures and 700 MHz/460.5 GHz, these three bisnitroxides all provide similar ¹H DNP enhancements, ε ≈ 60. Furthermore, we investigate the influence of temperature, microwave power, magnetic field strength, and protein sample deuteration on the NMR experimental results.

Magic angle spinning dynamic nuclear polarization solid-state NMR spectroscopy of γ-irradiated molecular organic solids

In the past 15 years, magic angle spinning (MAS) dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has emerged as a method to increase the sensitivity of high-resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy experiments. Recently, γ-irradiation has been used to generate significant concentrations of homogeneously distributed free radicals in a variety of solids, including quartz, glucose, and cellulose. Both γ-irradiated quartz and glucose previously showed significant MAS DNP enhancements. Here, γ-irradiation is applied to twelve small organic molecules to test the applicability of γ-irradiation as a general method of creating stable free radicals for MAS DNP experiments on organic solids and pharmaceuticals. Radical concentrations in the range of 0.25 ​mM-10 ​mM were observed in irradiated glucose, histidine, malic acid, and malonic acid, and significant ¹H DNP enhancements of 32, 130, 19, and 11 were obtained, respectively, as measured by ¹H→¹³C CPMAS experiments. However, concentrations of free radicals below 0.05 ​mM were generally observed in organic molecules containing aromatic rings, preventing sizeable DNP enhancements. DNP sensitivity gains for several of the irradiated compounds exceed that which can be obtained with the relayed DNP approach that uses exogeneous polarizing agent solutions and impregnation procedures. In several cases, significant ¹H DNP enhancements were realized at room temperature. This study demonstrates that in many cases γ-irradiation is a viable alternative to addition of stable exogenous radicals for DNP experiments on organic solids.

Lead-207 NMR spectroscopy at 1.4 T: Application of benchtop instrumentation to a challenging I = ½ nucleus

The practicality of obtaining liquid- and solid-state ²⁰⁷ Pb nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra with a low permanent-field magnet is investigated. Obtaining ²⁰⁷ Pb NMR spectra of salts in solution is shown to be viable for samples as dilute as 0.05 M. The concentration dependence of the ²⁰⁷ Pb chemical shifts for lead nitrate was investigated; the results are comparable with those obtained with high-field instruments. Likewise, the isotope effect of substituting D₂ O for H₂ O as the solvent was investigated and found to be comparable with those reported previously. Obtaining solid-state ²⁰⁷ Pb NMR spectra is challenging, but we demonstrate the ability to obtain such spectra for three unique solid samples. An axially symmetric ²⁰⁷ Pb powder pattern for lead nitrate and the powder pattern expected for lead chloride reveal linewidths dominated by shielding anisotropy, while ²⁰⁷ Pb-^35/37 Cl J-coupling dominates in the methylammonium lead chloride perovskite material. Finally, recent innovations and the future potential of the instruments are considered.

High-Field Magic Angle Spinning Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Using Radicals Created by γ-Irradiation

High-field magic angle spinning dynamic nuclear polarization (MAS DNP) is often used to enhance the sensitivity of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance experiments by transferring spin polarization from electron spins to nuclear spins. Here, we demonstrate that γ-irradiation induces the formation of stable radicals in inorganic solids, such as fused quartz and borosilicate glasses, as well as organic solids, such as glucose, cellulose, and a urea/polyethylene polymer. The radicals were then used to polarize ²⁹Si or ¹H spins in the core of some of these materials. Significant MAS DNP enhancements (ε) of more than 400 and 30 were obtained for fused quartz and glucose, respectively. For other samples, negligible values of ε were obtained, likely due to low concentrations of radicals or the presence of abundant quadrupolar spins. These results demonstrate that ionizing radiation is a promising alternative method for generating stable radicals that are suitable for high-field MAS DNP experiments.

Recent developments in MAS DNP-NMR of materials

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy is a powerful technique for the characterization of the atomic-level structure and dynamics of materials. Nevertheless, the use of this technique is often limited by its lack of sensitivity, which can prevent the observation of surfaces, defects or insensitive isotopes. Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) has been shown to improve by one to three orders of magnitude the sensitivity of NMR experiments on materials under Magic-Angle Spinning (MAS), at static magnetic field B₀ ≥ 5 T, conditions allowing for the acquisition of high-resolution spectra. The field of DNP-NMR spectroscopy of materials has undergone a rapid development in the last ten years, spurred notably by the availability of commercial DNP-NMR systems. We provide here an in-depth overview of MAS DNP-NMR studies of materials at high B₀ field. After a historical perspective of DNP of materials, we describe the DNP transfers under MAS, the transport of polarization by spin diffusion and the various contributions to the overall sensitivity of DNP-NMR experiments. We discuss the design of tailored polarizing agents and the sample preparation in the case of materials. We present the DNP-NMR hardware and the influence of key experimental parameters, such as microwave power, magnetic field, temperature and MAS frequency. We give an overview of the isotopes that have been detected by this technique, and the NMR methods that have been combined with DNP. Finally, we show how MAS DNP-NMR has been applied to gain new insights into the structure of organic, hybrid and inorganic materials with applications in fields, such as health, energy, catalysis, optoelectronics etc.

Endogenous dynamic nuclear polarization NMR of hydride-terminated silicon nanoparticles

Silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) are intriguing materials and their properties fascinate the broader scientific community; they are also attractive to the biological and materials science sub-disciplines because of their established biological and environmental compatibility, as well as their far-reaching practical applications. While characterization of the particle nanostructure can be performed using ²⁹Si solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, poor sensitivity due to low Boltzmann population and long acquisition times hinder in-depth studies of these potentially game-changing materials. In this study, we compare two dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR protocols to boost ²⁹Si sensitivity in hydride-terminated SiNPs. First, we assess a traditional indirect DNP approach, where a nitroxide biradical (AMUPol or bCTbk) is incorporated into a glassing agent and transferred through protons (e^- → ¹H → ²⁹Si) to enhance the silicon. In this mode, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy demonstrated that the hydride-terminated surface was highly reactive with the exogenous biradicals, thus decomposing the radicals within hours and resulting in an enhancement factor, ε, of 3 (T_B = 15 s) for the 64 nm SiNP, revealing the surface components. Secondly, direct DNP NMR methods were used to enhance the silicon without the addition of an exogenous radical (i.e., use of dangling bonds as an endogenous radical source). With radical concentrations <1 mM, ²⁹Si enhancements were obtained for the series of SiNPs ranging from 3 to 64 nm. The ability to use direct ²⁹Si DNP transfer (e^- → ²⁹Si) shows promise for DNP studies of these inorganic nanomaterials (ε = 6 (T_B = 79 min) for 64 nm SiNPs) with highly reactive surfaces, showing the sub-surface and core features. These preliminary findings lay a foundation for future endogenous radical development through tailoring the surface chemistry, targeting further sensitivity gains.

The influence of Ho3+ doping on 13C DNP in the presence of BDPA

Polarization transfer from unpaired electron radicals to nuclear spins at low-temperature is achieved using microwave irradiation by a process broadly termed dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). The resulting signal enhancement can easily exceed factors of 104 when paired with cryogenic cooling of the sample. Dissolution-DNP couples low temperature polarization methods with a rapid dissolution step, resulting in a highly polarized solution that can be used for metabolically sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate is a powerful metabolic imaging agent for investigation of in vitro and in vivo cellular metabolism by means of NMR spectroscopy and MRI. Radicals (trityl OX063 and BDPA) with narrower EPR linewidths typically produce higher nuclear polarizations when carbon-13 is the target nucleus. Increased solid-state polarization is observed when narrow line radicals are doped with lanthanide ions such as Gd3+, Ho3+, Dy3+, and Tb3+. Earlier results have demonstrated an incongruence between DNP experiments with trityl and BDPA, where the optimal concentrations for polarization transfer are disparate despite similar electron spin resonance linewidths. Here, the effects of Ho-DOTA on the solid-state polarization of [1-13C]pyruvic acid were compared for 3.35 T (1.4 K) and 5 T (1.2 K) systems using BDPA as a radical. Multiple concentrations of BDPA were doped with variable concentrations of Ho-DOTA (0, 0.2, 0.5, 1, and 2 mM), and dissolved in 1 : 1 (v/v) of [1-13C] pyruvic acid/sulfolane mixture. Our results reveal that addition of small amounts of Ho-DOTA in the sample preparation increases the solid-state polarization for [1-13C] pyruvic acid, with the optimum Ho-DOTA concentration of 0.2 mM. Without Ho-DOTA doping, the optimum BDPA concentration found for 3.35 T (1.4 K) is 40 mM, and for 5 T (1.2 K) system it is about 60 mM. In both systems, inclusion of Ho-DOTA in the 13C DNP sample leads to a change in the breadth (ΔDNP) of the extrema between the P(+) and P(-) frequencies in microwave spectra. At no combination of BDPA and Ho3+ did polarizations reach those achievable with trityl. Simplified analysis of increased polarization as a function of decreased electron T1e used to explain results in trityl are insufficient to describe DNP with BDPA.

Characterization of Metal-Organic Frameworks: Unlocking the Potential of Solid-State NMR

An exciting advance in materials science is the discovery of hybrid organic-inorganic solids known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Although they have numerous important applications, the local structures, specific molecular-level features, and guest behaviors underpinning desirable properties and applications are often unknown. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) is a powerful tool for MOF characterization as it provides information complementary to that from X-ray diffraction (XRD). We describe our novel pursuits in the three primary applications of SSNMR for MOF characterization: interrogating the metal center, targeting linker molecules, and probing guests. MOFs have relatively low densities, and the incorporated metals are often quadrupolar nuclei, making SSNMR detection difficult. Recently, we examined the local structures of metal centers (i.e., ²⁵Mg, ^47/49Ti, ^63/65Cu, ⁶⁷Zn, ^69/71Ga, ⁹¹Zr, ¹¹⁵In, ^135/137Ba, ¹³⁹La, ²⁷Al) in representative MOFs by SSNMR at a high magnetic field of 21.1 T, addressing several important issues: (1) resolving chemically and crystallographically nonequivalent metal sites; (2) exploring the origin of disorder around metals; (3) refining local metal geometry; (4) probing the effects of activation and adsorption on the metal local environment; and (5) monitoring in situ phase changes in MOFs. Organic linkers can be characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, and ¹⁷O SSNMR. Although the framework structure can be determined by X-ray diffraction, hydrogen atoms cannot be accurately located, and thus the local structure about hydrogen is poorly characterized. Our work demonstrates that magic-angle spinning (MAS) experiments at very high magnetic field along with ultrafast spinning rates and isotope dilution enables one to obtain ultrahigh resolution ¹H MAS spectra of MOFs, yielding structural information truly complementary to that obtained from single-crystal XRD. Oxygen is a key constituent of many important MOFs but ¹⁷O SSNMR work on MOFs is scarce due to the low natural abundance of ¹⁷O. ¹⁷O enriched MOFs can now be prepared in an efficient and economically feasible manner using solvothermal approaches involving labeled H₂¹⁷O water; the resulting ¹⁷O SSNMR spectra provide distinct spectral signatures of various key oxygen species in representative MOFs. MOFs are suitable for the capture of the greenhouse gas CO₂ and the storage of energy carrier gases such as H₂ and CH₄. A better understanding of gas adsorption obtained using ¹³C, ²H, and ¹⁷O SSNMR will enable researchers to improve performance and realize practical applications for MOFs as gas adsorbents and carriers. The combination of SSNMR with XRD allows us to determine the number of adsorption sites in the framework, identify the location of binding sites, gain physical insight into the nature and strength of host-guest interactions, and understand guest dynamics.

17O MAS NMR Correlation Spectroscopy at High Magnetic Fields

The structure of two protected amino acids, FMOC-l-leucine and FMOC-l-valine, and a dipeptide, N-acetyl-l-valyl-l-leucine (N-Ac-VL), were studied via one- and two-dimensional solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Utilizing ¹⁷O magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR at multiple magnetic fields (17.6-35.2 T/750-1500 MHz for ¹H) the ¹⁷O quadrupolar and chemical shift parameters were determined for the two oxygen sites of each FMOC-protected amino acids and the three distinct oxygen environments of the dipeptide. The one- and two-dimensional, ¹⁷O, ¹⁵N-¹⁷O, ¹³C-¹⁷O, and ¹H-¹⁷O double-resonance correlation experiments performed on the uniformly ¹³C,¹⁵N and 70% ¹⁷O-labeled dipeptide prove the attainability of ¹⁷O as a probe for structure studies of biological systems. ¹⁵N-¹⁷O and ¹³C-¹⁷O distances were measured via one-dimensional REAPDOR and ZF-TEDOR experimental buildup curves and determined to be within 15% of previously reported distances, thus demonstrating the use of ¹⁷O NMR to quantitate interatomic distances in a fully labeled dipeptide. Through-space hydrogen bonding of N-Ac-VL was investigated by a two-dimensional ¹H-detected ¹⁷O R³-R-INEPT experiment, furthering the importance of ¹⁷O for studies of structure in biomolecular solids.

Dynamic nuclear polarization for sensitivity enhancement in modern solid-state NMR

The field of dynamic nuclear polarization has undergone tremendous developments and diversification since its inception more than 6 decades ago. In this review we provide an in-depth overview of the relevant topics involved in DNP-enhanced MAS NMR spectroscopy. This includes the theoretical description of DNP mechanisms as well as of the polarization transfer pathways that can lead to a uniform or selective spreading of polarization between nuclear spins. Furthermore, we cover historical and state-of-the art aspects of dedicated instrumentation, polarizing agents, and optimization techniques for efficient MAS DNP. Finally, we present an extensive overview on applications in the fields of structural biology and materials science, which underlines that MAS DNP has moved far beyond the proof-of-concept stage and has become an important tool for research in these fields.

New NMR tools for protein structure and function: Spin tags for dynamic nuclear polarization solid state NMR

Magic angle spinning solid state NMR studies of biological macromolecules [1-3] have enabled exciting studies of membrane proteins [4,5], amyloid fibrils [6], viruses, and large macromolecular assemblies [7]. Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) provides a means to enhance detection sensitivity for NMR, particularly for solid state NMR, with many recent biological applications and considerable contemporary efforts towards elaboration and optimization of the DNP experiment. This review explores precedents and innovations in biological DNP experiments, especially highlighting novel chemical biology approaches to introduce the radicals that serve as a source of polarization in DNP experiments.

Solvent signal suppression for high-resolution MAS-DNP

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has become a powerful tool to substantially increase the sensitivity of high-field magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR experiments. The addition of dissolved hyperpolarizing agents usually results in the presence of solvent signals that can overlap and obscure those of interest from the analyte. Here, two methods are proposed to suppress DNP solvent signals: a Forced Echo Dephasing experiment (FEDex) and TRAnsfer of Populations in DOuble Resonance Echo Dephasing (TRAPDORED) NMR. These methods reintroduce a heteronuclear dipolar interaction that is specific to the solvent, thereby forcing a dephasing of recoupled solvent spins and leaving acquired NMR spectra free of associated resonance overlap with the analyte. The potency of these methods is demonstrated on sample types common to MAS-DNP experiments, namely a frozen solution (of l-proline) and a powdered solid (progesterone), both containing deuterated glycerol as a DNP solvent. The proposed methods are efficient, simple to implement, compatible with other NMR experiments, and extendable past spectral editing for just DNP solvents. The sensitivity gains from MAS-DNP in conjunction with FEDex or TRAPDORED then permits rapid and uninterrupted sample analysis.

A ferromagnetic shim insert for NMR magnets - Towards an integrated gyrotron for DNP-NMR spectroscopy

In recent years high-field Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) enhanced NMR spectroscopy has gained significant interest. In high-field DNP-NMR experiments (⩾400MHz 1H NMR, ⩾9.4T) often a stand-alone gyrotron is used to generate high microwave/THz power to produce sufficiently high microwave induced B1e fields at the position of the NMR sample. These devices typically require a second, stand-alone superconducting magnet to operate. Here we present the design and realization of a ferroshim insert, to create two iso-centers inside a commercially available wide-bore NMR magnet. This work is part of a larger project to integrate a gyrotron into NMR magnets, effectively eliminating the need for a second, stand-alone superconducting magnet.

Combining DNP NMR with segmental and specific labeling to study a yeast prion protein strain that is not parallel in-register

The yeast prion protein Sup35NM is a self-propagating amyloid. Despite intense study, there is no consensus on the organization of monomers within Sup35NM fibrils. Some studies point to a β-helical arrangement, whereas others suggest a parallel in-register organization. Intermolecular contacts are often determined by experiments that probe long-range heteronuclear contacts for fibrils templated from a 1:1 mixture of ¹³C- and ¹⁵N-labeled monomers. However, for Sup35NM, like many large proteins, chemical shift degeneracy limits the usefulness of this approach. Segmental and specific isotopic labeling reduce degeneracy, but experiments to measure long-range interactions are often too insensitive. To limit degeneracy and increase experimental sensitivity, we combined specific and segmental isotopic labeling schemes with dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR. Using this combination, we examined an amyloid form of Sup35NM that does not have a parallel in-register structure. The combination of a small number of specific labels with DNP NMR enables determination of architectural information about polymeric protein systems.

Atomic-Level Structure Characterization of Biomass Pre- and Post-Lignin Treatment by Dynamic Nuclear Polarization-Enhanced Solid-State NMR

Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising sustainable feedstock for the production of biofuels, biomaterials, and biospecialty chemicals. However, efficient utilization of biomass has been limited by our poor understanding of its molecular structure. Here, we report a dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP)-enhanced solid-state (SS)NMR study of the molecular structure of biomass, both pre- and postcatalytic treatment. This technique enables the measurement of 2D homonuclear ¹³C-¹³C correlation SSNMR spectra under natural abundance, yielding, for the first time, an atomic-level picture of the structure of raw and catalytically treated biomass samples. We foresee that further such experiments could be used to determine structure-function relationships and facilitate the development of more efficient, and chemically targeted, biomass-conversion technologies.

Dendritic polarizing agents for DNP SENS

Dendrimer-shielded polarizing agents for the application of DNP SENS to reactive surfaces.

Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Surface Enhanced NMR Spectroscopy (DNP SENS) is an effective method to significantly improve solid-state NMR investigation of solid surfaces. The presence of unpaired electrons (polarizing agents) is crucial for DNP, but it has drawbacks such as leading to faster nuclear spin relaxation, or even reaction with the substrate under investigation. The latter can be a particular problem for heterogeneous catalysts. Here, we present a series of carbosilane-based dendritic polarizing agents, in which the bulky dendrimer can reduce the interaction between the solid surface and the free radical. We thereby preserve long nuclear T′₂ of the surface species, and even successfully enhance a reactive heterogeneous metathesis catalyst.

(17)O NMR Investigation of Water Structure and Dynamics

The structure and dynamics of the bound water in barium chlorate monohydrate were studied with (17)O nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in samples that are stationary and spinning at the magic-angle in magnetic fields ranging from 14.1 to 21.1 T. (17)O NMR parameters of the water were determined, and the effects of torsional oscillations of the water molecule on the (17)O quadrupolar coupling constant (CQ) were delineated with variable temperature MAS NMR. With decreasing temperature and reduction of the librational motion, we observe an increase in the experimentally measured CQ explaining the discrepancy between experiments and predictions from density functional theory. In addition, at low temperatures and in the absence of (1)H decoupling, we observe a well-resolved (1)H-(17)O dipole splitting in the spectra, which provides information on the structure of the H2O molecule. The splitting arises because of the homogeneous nature of the coupling between the two (1)H-(17)O dipoles and the (1)H-(1)H dipole.

Tailoring of Polarizing Agents in the bTurea Series for Cross-Effect Dynamic Nuclear Polarization in Aqueous Media

A series of 18 nitroxide biradicals derived from bTurea has been prepared, and their enhancement factors ɛ ((1)H) in cross-effect dynamic nuclear polarization (CE DNP) NMR experiments at 9.4 and 14.1 T and 100 K in a DNP-optimized glycerol/water matrix ("DNP juice") have been studied. We observe that ɛ ((1)H) is strongly correlated with the substituents on the polarizing agents, and its trend is discussed in terms of different molecular parameters: solubility, average e-e distance, relative orientation of the nitroxide moieties, and electron spin relaxation times. We show that too short an e-e distance or too long a T1e can dramatically limit ɛ ((1)H). Our study also shows that the molecular structure of AMUPol is not optimal and its ɛ ((1)H) could be further improved through stronger interaction with the glassy matrix and a better orientation of the TEMPO moieties. A new AMUPol derivative introduced here provides a better ɛ ((1)H) than AMUPol itself (by a factor of ca. 1.2).

Efficient DNP NMR of membrane proteins: sample preparation protocols, sensitivity, and radical location

Although dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has dramatically enhanced solid-state NMR spectral sensitivities of many synthetic materials and some biological macromolecules, recent studies of membrane-protein DNP using exogenously doped paramagnetic radicals as polarizing agents have reported varied and sometimes surprisingly limited enhancement factors. This motivated us to carry out a systematic evaluation of sample preparation protocols for optimizing the sensitivity of DNP NMR spectra of membrane-bound peptides and proteins at cryogenic temperatures of ~110 K. We show that mixing the radical with the membrane by direct titration instead of centrifugation gives a significant boost to DNP enhancement. We quantify the relative sensitivity enhancement between AMUPol and TOTAPOL, two commonly used radicals, and between deuterated and protonated lipid membranes. AMUPol shows ~fourfold higher sensitivity enhancement than TOTAPOL, while deuterated lipid membrane does not give net higher sensitivity for the membrane peptides than protonated membrane. Overall, a ~100 fold enhancement between the microwave-on and microwave-off spectra can be achieved on lipid-rich membranes containing conformationally disordered peptides, and absolute sensitivity gains of 105-160 can be obtained between low-temperature DNP spectra and high-temperature non-DNP spectra. We also measured the paramagnetic relaxation enhancement of lipid signals by TOTAPOL and AMUPol, to determine the depths of these two radicals in the lipid bilayer. Our data indicate a bimodal distribution of both radicals, a surface-bound fraction and a membrane-bound fraction where the nitroxides lie at ~10 Å from the membrane surface. TOTAPOL appears to have a higher membrane-embedded fraction than AMUPol. These results should be useful for membrane-protein solid-state NMR studies under DNP conditions and provide insights into how biradicals interact with phospholipid membranes.

Conceptual and instrumental progress in dissolution DNP

We discuss conceptual and instrumental progress in dissolution DNP since its introduction in 2003. In our view there are three critical steps in the dissolution DNP process: (i) The achievable polarization level in a sample. (ii) The time required to build up the polarization. (iii) The transfer of the sample to the measurement system with minimum loss of polarization. In this review we describe in detail these steps and the different methodological and instrumental implementations, which have been proposed to optimize them.

Effects of biradical deuteration on the performance of DNP: towards better performing polarizing agents

We study the effects of the deuteration of biradical polarizing agents on the efficiency of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) via the cross-effect. To this end, we synthesized a series of bTbK and TOTAPol biradicals with systematically increased deuterium substitution. The deuteration increases the radicals' relaxation time, thus contributing to a higher saturation factor and larger DNP enhancement, and reduces the pool of protons within the so-called spin diffusion barrier. Notably, we report that full or partial deuteration leads to improved DNP enhancement factors in standard samples, but also slows down the build-up of hyperpolarization. Improvements in DNP enhancements factors of up to 70% and time savings of up to 38% are obtained upon full deuteration. It is foreseen that this approach may be applied to other DNP polarizing agents thus enabling further sensitivity improvements.

Sensitivity-enhanced NMR reveals alterations in protein structure by cellular milieus

Biological processes occur in complex environments containing a myriad of potential interactors. Unfortunately, limitations on the sensitivity of biophysical techniques normally restrict structural investigations to purified systems, at concentrations that are orders of magnitude above endogenous levels. Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) can dramatically enhance the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and enable structural studies in biologically complex environments. Here, we applied DNP NMR to investigate the structure of a protein containing both an environmentally sensitive folding pathway and an intrinsically disordered region, the yeast prion protein Sup35. We added an exogenously prepared isotopically labeled protein to deuterated lysates, rendering the biological environment "invisible" and enabling highly efficient polarization transfer for DNP. In this environment, structural changes occurred in a region known to influence biological activity but intrinsically disordered in purified samples. Thus, DNP makes structural studies of proteins at endogenous levels in biological contexts possible, and such contexts can influence protein structure.

Biosilica-Entrapped Enzymes Studied by Using Dynamic Nuclear-Polarization-Enhanced High-Field NMR Spectroscopy

Enzymes are used as environmentally friendly catalysts in many industrial applications, and are frequently immobilized in a matrix to improve their chemical stability for long-term storage and reusability. Recently, it was shown that an atomic-level description of proteins immobilized in a biosilica matrix can be attained by examining their magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectra. However, even though MAS NMR is an excellent tool for determining structure, it is severely hampered by sensitivity. In this work we provide the proof of principle that NMR characterization of biosilica-entrapped enzymes could be assisted by high-field dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP).

Structural Insights into Bound Water in Crystalline Amino Acids: Experimental and Theoretical (17)O NMR

We demonstrate here that the (17)O NMR properties of bound water in a series of amino acids and dipeptides can be determined with a combination of nonspinning and magic-angle spinning experiments using a range of magnetic field strengths from 9.4 to 21.1 T. Furthermore, we propose a (17)O chemical shift fingerprint region for bound water molecules in biological solids that is well outside the previously determined ranges for carbonyl, carboxylic, and hydroxyl oxygens, thereby offering the ability to resolve multiple (17)O environments using rapid one-dimensional NMR techniques. Finally, we compare our experimental data against quantum chemical calculations using GIPAW and hybrid-DFT, finding intriguing discrepancies between the electric field gradients calculated from structures determined by X-ray and neutron diffraction.

Matrix-free DNP-enhanced NMR spectroscopy of liposomes using a lipid-anchored biradical

Magic-angle spinning dynamic nuclear polarization (MAS-DNP) has been proven to be a powerful technique to enhance the sensitivity of solid-state NMR (SSNMR) in a wide range of systems. Here, we show that DNP can be used to polarize lipids using a lipid-anchored polarizing agent. More specifically, we introduce a C16-functionalized biradical, which allows localization of the polarizing agents in the lipid bilayer and DNP experiments to be performed in the absence of excess cryo-protectant molecules (glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide, etc.). This constitutes another original example of the matrix-free DNP approach that we recently introduced.

Dynamic nuclear polarization of (1)H, (13)C, and (59)Co in a tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) crystalline lattice doped with Cr(III)

The study of inorganic crystalline materials by solid-state NMR spectroscopy is often complicated by the low sensitivity of heavy nuclei. However, these materials often contain or can be prepared with paramagnetic dopants without significantly affecting the structure of the crystalline host. Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is generally capable of enhancing NMR signals by transferring the magnetization of unpaired electrons to the nuclei. Therefore, the NMR sensitivity in these paramagnetically doped crystals might be increased by DNP. In this paper we demonstrate the possibility of efficient DNP transfer in polycrystalline samples of [Co(en)3Cl3]2·NaCl·6H2O (en = ethylenediamine, C2H8N2) doped with Cr(III) in varying concentrations between 0.1 and 3 mol %. We demonstrate that (1)H, (13)C, and (59)Co can be polarized by irradiation of Cr(III) with 140 GHz microwaves at a magnetic field of 5 T. We further explain our findings on the basis of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the Cr(III) site and analysis of its temperature-dependent zero-field splitting, as well as the dependence of the DNP enhancement factor on the external magnetic field and microwave power. This first demonstration of DNP transfer from one paramagnetic metal ion to its diamagnetic host metal ion will pave the way for future applications of DNP in paramagnetically doped materials or metalloproteins.