Newsletter

Newsletter Mar 2020

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Announcements

  • Due to recent support generously contributed from our funding units (LSA, LSI, COP, and Med), BioNMR core is no longer charging users from University of Michigan for consultation time. However, we will continue to log the time that we spend with each user as a way of demonstrating service to users in the different units.
  • Faculty and graduate student recruitment season is continuing, so users should be aware that tour groups will be in instrument spaces.
  • The 600 MHz NMR in 3214A LSI will be completely upgraded to Prodigy cryo-probe with NEO console during April 2020.  This will significantly upgrade the capability, sensitivity, and throughput of this instrument for our users. Delivery and preparation for the install will happen during the last week of March 2020. We expect this instrument to be down Mar 23rd – April 20th 2020, so please plan experiments accordingly.
  • The University of Michigan‘s Biosciences Initiative Core Lab program recently funded a complete renovation of the Varian 600 MHz NMR 600 in 1047 Chemistry.  Read more here. The existing magnet will be converted to a Bruker instrument with a NEO console and the latest helium cooled TCI CryoProbe. As a result, this instrument will have similar capabilities and the same software as the 800 MHz instrument, facilitating usage across instruments and increasing availability. Down time for this install is anticipated in Aug 2020.
  • The BioNMR core has a new program to provide instrument time for junior faculty collecting preliminary NMR data for external grant proposals. Supported by the College of Literature, Sciences and Arts; Life Sciences Institute; College of Pharmacy; and the Medical School, application details are below.    

BioNMR core’s Exploration Funds

BioNMR core’s exploration funds will be used to provide NMR instrument time to UM junior faculty (research assistant professors and assistant professors) who need to collect preliminary data for new external grant applications. The application (https://forms.gle/ndgwQRtcDsH9w8i17) requires:

  • Qualifications of the investigator(s): Assistant professor / research assistant professor
  • Objectives and scientific/technical significance of the proposed project (1-2 paragraphs)
  • Riskiness/feasibility of methods employed
  • Details of the NMR experiments proposed (e.g. list of experiments) ~1 paragraph
  • Suitability of the methods employed
  • Amount of NMR time and instrument requested to carry out proposed projects

Applications will be reviewed by BioNMR core staff and evaluated by the BioNMR advisory committee on a quarterly basis.

Upcoming NMR Conferences

NMRlib 2.0 : IBS pulse sequence tools for Bruker spectrometers available on NMR 800

The NMRlib package contains a suite of jython-based tools designed for Bruker spectrometers (TopSpin versions 3.2–4.0) that allow easy setup, management, and exchange of NMR experiments. A NMR experiment can be set up and executed in a few clicks by navigating through the NMRlib GUI tree structure, without any further parameter adjustment. We now have working versions of all sequences mentioned in the latest paper A Favier and B Brutscher. NMRlib: user-friendly pulse sequence tools for Bruker NMR spectrometers (2019) J Biomol NMR. 73(5), 199-211. (details: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10858-019-00249-1) Please contact BioNMR core staff to get help with setting up these experiments.

NMR Technique Highlight: A better isotopically labeled NMR Sample preparation protocol

The authors here present a modified minimal medium and a simple protocol that can increase the protein yield up to fourfold in a pH-stabilized LB medium and up to seven-fold in a modified M9+ medium. Details of the paper can be found in the link below:Cai M., Huang Y., Craigie R., Clore G.M. A simple protocol for expression of isotope-labeled proteins in Escherichia coli grown in shaker flasks at high cell density (2019) J Biomol NMR. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10858-019-00285-x

BioNMR core acknowledgement in scientific publications

A reminder to all users of BioNMR core facility users, please acknowledge the BioNMR core facility for all publications that use data collected in our facility.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the University of Michigan BioNMR Core Facility (U-M BioNMR). U-M BioNMR Core is grateful for support from U-M including the College of Literature, Sciences and Arts, Life Sciences Institute, College of Pharmacy and the Medical School along with the U-M Biosciences Initiative. 

This helps us to keep track of our facility usage that leads to publications and justification for securing future funding for instrument upgrades