This dissertation presents solid-state NMR studies that probe the dynamic and conformational properties of polymers adsorbed on solid surfaces in the dry state. The systems studied include a series of ethylene based random copolymers where the binding group is modified, and two diblock copolymer systems where the blocks have different intrinsic mobilities and surface interactions. The thesis begins by looking at the structures formed by the adsorption of poly (ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (PEA), poly (ethylene- co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH), poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA), and polyethylene (PE) on metal oxide powders (zirconia and alumina). NMR spectroscopy, FTIR-PAS, and TGA were used to characterize the surface behaviour of the systems with comparisons made between the bulk and adsorbed copolymers. 13C CPMAS, 1H and T 1 relaxation measurements were all recorded with the aim of correlating the microscopic structure of the surface with changes in NMR data. The chain conformation of adsorbed ethylene copolymers was found to strongly depend on the binding strength of the polar sticker groups with the substrates. / The chain dynamics of adsorbed diblock copolymers in the dry state are reported for the first time. Poly (styrene)-b-poly ( t-butyl acrylate) (PS-PtButA) and poly (styrene)-b-poly (acrylic acid) (PS-PAA) were selected to vary both the block size and the binding strength. Once again the primary surface characterization methods are NMR spectroscopy, FTIR-PAS, and TGA. 13C CPMAS, 1H, T1, and T1rho relaxation measurements were all recorded with the aim of correlating the surface structures with changes in NMR data. For the most part, the observed trends in the chain mobilities of the anchor (PAA) and buoy (PS) blocks with block size can be correlated with the predicted mushroom, intermediate and extended brush structures which collapse upon removal of the solvent. However, the chain mobility of the PS buoys decreases with increasing anchor block size. Although the chain mobility of the PS buoys are moderately enhanced relative to the bulk state, the mobility is sufficiently restricted to comfirm the picture of a thin glassy layer with adhesive properties similar to the surface of bulk polystyrene. / The diblock copolymers poly (2-vinylpyridine), poly (isoprene)- b-poly (2--vinylpyridine), (PI-P2VP) and poly (isoprene)- b-poly (4-vinylpyridine) (PI-P4VP) were selected to complement the PS-PAA system as both systems have been studied by surface force microscopy. The large contrast in chain mobilities of the PI and PVP blocks allowed spectral editing through variation of the 13C cross polarization parameters. The trends in mobility with block size differ from that of PS-PAA in that the segmental mobility of the buoys increases with anchor block size as expected. The chain mobility of the collapsed PI brushes is significantly enhanced as compared to the bulk state, again supporting the interpretation of surface microscopy studies which require an entropically unfavorable flattened, yet rubbery, surface structure.

The topology and dynamics of biomolecules are intricately linked with their biological function. The focus of this thesis is the NMR-based measurement of topology and dynamics in biomolecular systems, and methods of measuring immersion depth and orientation of membrane-associated molecules. In detergent micelles and lipid bilayers, the local concentrations of hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules are a function of their bilayer immersion depth. For paramagnetic molecular oxygen or metal cations, the magnitudes of the associated paramagnetic isotropic contact shifts and relaxation rate enhancements (PREs) are therefore depth-dependent. NMR measurements of these effects reveal the immersion depth of bilayer- or detergent-associated molecules. This work first explores transbilayer oxygen solubility and thermodynamics, as measured from contact shifts and PREs of the constituent lipid molecules in the presence of 30 bar oxygen. Contact shifts revealed the transmembrane O2 solubility profile spans a factor of seven across the bilayer, while PREs indicated that oxygen partitioning into bilayers and dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles is entropically driven. Next, this work describes how paramagnetic effects from molecular oxygen and Ni(II) cations may be employed to study the immersion depth and topology of drug and protein molecules in DPC micelles. In one study, the positioning of the amphipathic drug imipramine in micelles was determined from O2- and Ni(II)-induced contact shifts. A second study, relying solely on O2-induced PREs, determined the tilt angles and micelle immersion depths of the two alpha helices in a monomeric mutant of the membrane protein phospholamban. A third study utilized 19F NMR to explore the importance of juxtamembraneous tryptophans on the topology of the membrane protein synaptobrevin, via O2-induced contact shifts and solvent-induced isotope shifts of a juxtamembraneous 19F-phenylalanine. Comparison of synaptobrevin constructs with zero, one, and two juxtamembraneous tryptophans revealed that while one tryptophan is sufficient to ‘anchor’ the protein in micelle, the addition of a second tryptophan dampens local dynamics. These solution state NMR studies demonstrate how paramagnetic effects from dissolved oxygen, complemented with measurements of local water exposure, provide detailed, accurate descriptions of membrane immersion depth and topology. These techniques are readily extended to the study of a wide range of biomolecules.

Shaped pulses can be used for uniform spin-1 excitation. The effects of the pulses on spin-1 excitation is seen as distortion of two types: phase distortions and amplitude distortions. By reducing the distortions a spin-1 excitation becomes more uniform. In the case of time-symmetric shaped pulses, spin-1 excitation is free of phase distortions. The spin-1 excitation in that case can be made uniform over a larger frequency bandwidth. The number of possible shaped pulses is so large that a computer-aided search is needed to find the desirable shaped pulses. A theoretical analysis is used to find the connection between a shaped pulse and the corresponding spin-1 excitation. The theoretical analysis in density matrix formalism gives the spin-1 excitation in closed-form expressions that are too complicated. In such a case the connection between a shpaed pulse and spin-1 excitation is not straightforward. A brute-force search for a desirable shaped pulse can consume too much computer time and thus time the scope of the search. By using the formalism of quaternions in the theoretical analysis, spin-1 excitation is presented in simple closed form expressions. It is then shown tht if the choice is limited to time-symmetric shaped pulses then these closed form expressions become much simpler. It is also shown that a spin-1 excitation is free of phase distortions in that case. These simple closed form expressions can be used as the building blocks of a much more concise program code for the computer aided search. As a result a computer aided search for a desirable shaped pulse becomes much faster in speed and larger in scope. More shaped pulses for improved spin-1 can be found. / xiii, 99 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

High-resolution one-dimensional 1H, 19F, 31P and 13C MAS NMR experiments were used in a morphological study of solvent-cast and heat-treated poly[bis(trifluoroethoxy)phosphazene] (PBFP). Deconvolution analyses performed on all Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectra are presented. These results suggest the presence of broad and narrow overlapping components at ambient temperature, which were assigned to the crystalline, amorphous and the mesophase regions within the polymer, respectively. The number of signals in the spectra was independently verified using 1H, 19F and 13C Discrimination Induced by Variable Amplitude Minipulses (DIVAM) nutation experiments. Deconvolution analyses showed that heat-treatment increases the overall crystallinity of the solvent-cast PBFP. Further studies conducted on two preparations of the polymer showed significant differences in crystallinity due to variations in the reaction conditions. Magic-Angle Spinning (MAS) NMR spectra of PBFP obtained via living cationic polymerization at ambient temperature indicated that the polymer contains mostly amorphous and mesophase regions with only a small contribution from the crystalline domain. Variable-temperature 31P NMR experiments suggested that the thermotropic transition occurs in a temperature range of 80ºC to 90ºC, where the crystalline signal disappears and a new signal due to a liquid crystalline phase emerges. Spin-lock 31P experiments provided rates of the transverse relaxation in the rotating frame for each signal, showing that the crystalline and the amorphous regions within the polymer are characterized by significantly different mobilities at ambient temperatures, while the v comparable degree of motion occurs between the amorphous and mesophase environments at temperatures above 90ºC. The process of thermal ring-opening polymerization of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene was monitored using one-dimensional 31P MAS NMR at different stages of the reaction. The ratio between cyclic species and the high molecular weight poly(dichlorophosphazene) was seen to change over time. 31P NMR was seen to be a potentially valuable tool in monitoring rates of chain propagation, branching and cross-linking. Two-dimensional 31P homonuclear Radio-Frequency Driven Recoupling (RFDR) and Incredible Natural Abundance Double Quantum Transfer (INADEQUATE) MAS NMR experiments were first tested on the partially phenoxy-substituted hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene, and subsequently applied in the study of a preparation of the partially trifluoroethoxy-substituted poly(dichlorophosphazene). Very high resolution was obtained in the direct dimension due to the presence of low molecular weight species. Preliminary spectral assignments of all of the observed signals were made on the basis of both known chemical shifts of the related species, and the through-space and through-bond phosphorous-phosphorous connectivities. / xiii, 188 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm

Trimethyltin fluoride (Me3SnF) is a useful fluorinating agent in organometallic chemistry. Its solid-state structure has been investigated by X-ray crystallography showing a polymeric fluorine-bridged structure. Disorder, however, has precluded the accurate refinement of all structural parameters. In order to obtain accurate structural information, trimethyltin fluoride was investigated using high-resolution 13C, 19F, and 119Sn solid-state NMR spectroscopy using a four-channel HFXY capability. The 119Sn{1H} solid-state NMR spectrum agrees with pentacoordination about Sn in this compound. The high-resolution 119Sn{19F, 1H}, 13C{1H,19F} and 19F{1H} NMR spectra offer unambiguous determination of 1J(119Sn-19F) and 1J(119Sn-13C) coupling constants. Furthermore, the analysis of the 119Sn{19F, 1H}, 119Sn{1H}, and 19F{1H} MAS spectra as a function of spinning speed allowed for the determination of the 119Sn CSA and J anisotropy, as well as the 119Sn-19F dipolar couplings. These were determined via SIMPSON simulations of the 13C, 19F, and 119Sn NMR spectra. Finally the 119Sn{19F, 1H} revealed fine structure as the result of 119Sn-117Sn two bond J-coupling, seen here for the first time. Sulfur tetrafluoride can act as a Lewis acid. Claims had been presented for the formation of an adduct between SF4 and pyridine, but no conclusive characterization had been performed. In the present study, adducts of SF4 with pyridine, lutidine, 4-picoline and triethylamine were prepared and characterized by low-temperature Raman spectroscopy. Sulfur tetrafluoride also acts as a fluoride-ion donor towards strong Lewis acids, such as AsF5 and SbF5, forming SF3 + salts. Variable-temperature (VT) solid-state 19F NMR spectroscopy showed that SF3 +SbF6 – exists in three phases with phase transitions at ca. –45 and –85°C, while SF3 +AsF6 – exists only as one phase between +20 and –150 °C. The phases of SF3 +AsF6 – were also characterized by VT Raman spectroscopy. / xvi, 170 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm

Each member of the protein kinase C (PKC) family activates cell signaling pathways with different and sometimes opposing cell functions, such as cell division, migration, or death. Because of the importance of these processes in human diseases and disorders like cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease, there is a need for drugs which modify the action of PKC. However, drug design is difficult due to the complicated nature of PKC regulation. To better understand the differential regulation of PKC activity, these studies probe the structure, dynamics, and reactivity of one of the domains responsible for PKC regulation, C1B. C1B binds signaling molecules and translocates PKC to membranes in order to release the kinase domain from inhibition. Mutagenesis and ligand-binding assays monitored with fluorescence and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques show that a single variable residue in C1B dramatically affects the sensitivity to signal activators. Investigation of the domain structure and dynamics using NMR revealed the identity of this residue alters the dynamics of the activator binding loops, without changing the structure. NMR studies of the C1B variants in membrane-mimicking micelles showed this residue also changes the interaction of the regulatory domain with lipids. These results demonstrate PKC isoforms have evolved specific functions by tuning dynamics and membrane affinity. Alternatively, PKC can be activated by reactive oxygen species by a mechanism that does not require binding of signaling molecules or membrane localization. To investigate the role of C1B in this type of signaling, the regulatory domain reactivity is monitored via NMR and gel electrophoresis. These studies reveal a particular cysteine residue in C1B that is most reactive, an alternative conformation of C1B in which this residue is more exposed, and modification of C1B leads to unfolding and zinc loss. Because the regulatory domains are responsible for auto-inhibition of the kinase domain, C1B unfolding provides a plausible explanation for activation of PKC by reactive oxygen species. The relation of the intrinsic C1B properties to the activation of PKC can be used to develop drugs with a single mechanism and to better understand how closely related signaling proteins develop specific functions.

No description available.

The phospholipid membrane is a self-assembled, dynamic molecular system that may exist alone in association with only water, or in complex systems comprised of multiple lipid types and proteins. In this dissertation the intra- and inter-molecular forces responsible for the atomistic, molecular and collective equilibrium structure and dynamics are studied by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The multinuclear NMR measurements and various experimental techniques are able to provide data that enable the characterization of the hierarchical spatio-temporal organization of the phospholipid membrane. The experimental and theoretical studies conducted target membrane interactions ranging from model systems composed of only water and lipids, to multiple component domain forming membranes that are in association with peripheral and trans-membrane proteins. These measurements consisit of frequency spectrum lineshapes and nuclear-spin relaxation rates obtained using 2 H NMR, 13 C NMR, 31 P NMR and 1 H NMR. The changes of these experimental observables are interpreted within a statistical thermodynamic framework that allows the membrane structure, activation energies, and correlation times of motion to be determined. The cases presented demonstrate how fundamental principles of NMR spectroscopy may be applied to a host of membranes, leading to the biophysical characterization of membrane structure and dynamics.

The central theme of this thesis is a study of the structural changes accompanying chemical modification and denaturation of eukaryotic cytochrome c as characterised by ¹II nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) spectroscopy. First, however, it was necessary to obtain and confirm assignments for individual resonances; this was achieved by a novel method of cross assignment between ferricytochrome c and ferrocytochrome c and by double resonance techniques. A variety of perturbations were caused to native cytochromes c, which ranged in degree from the elevation of temperature for ferrocytochrome c to the complete denaturation of the protein with urea or methanol. Modification at single sites both on the surface (e.g. Met 65, Tyr 74) and in the core ( e.g. Tyr 67) of the molecule were found to cause only small local effects to the structure, although the dynamic features of the molecules were altered. One single site modification, the breaking of the iron - sulphur cross linking bond, caused considerable disruption to one side of the molecule, although hydrophobic domains in the other side were preserved; this state of the molecule is analogous to the penultimate state in the refolding pathway. Modification of all the charged lysine residues caused small changes to the surface structure of the molecule, though the complete reversal of the charges in maleyl cytochrome c produced a species which unfolded reversibly from a native configuration with the increase of temperature. The unfolding of the protein is virtually identical with both methanol and urea, but the pathways are shown to differ for the oxidised and reduced proteins.

The human brain consists of a myriad of chemical compounds critical to its functioning. A group of these compounds, collectively known as metabolites, have been a research interest for years because the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, a tumours classification, the effectiveness of a drug, etc., can be investigated via variations in brain metabolite concentration levels. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMRS) enables investigators to conduct non-invasive in vivo studies of metabolites in the human brain and the rest of the body. However a number of problems have hindered the usage of NMRS as a clinical diagnostic tool. One is the non-uniqueness of the most widely used analysis methods, i.e. as the parameters and/or prior knowledge data of an analysis method are changed, the results also change. A second problem is the lack of a method that can automatically classify the signal components estimated via signal decomposition based signal analysis methods. Additionally, some of the most widely used analysis methods, by virtue of their algorithms, intrinsically assume the nature of NMRS signals, e.g. stationary, linear, Lorentzian, etc. Hence, this thesis explores a new analysis approach, based on a theoretical and practical understanding of NMRS, that (a) avoids making assumptions about the nature of experimentally acquired NMRS signals, (b) relies on a unique decomposition analysis method, and (c) automatically classifies the estimated peaks of an analysis. Unique decomposition analysis was conducted via the rarely used unique and non-linear signal decomposition method − the Fast Pad´e Transform (FPT). The FPT is compared with the main decomposition based NMRS analysis methods via a detailed mathematical analysis, and a comparative analysis. Automatic classification was conducted via a novel classification method, which is introduced herein, and which is based on quantum mechanical predictions of metabolite NMRS behaviour.