High-Field Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Technique for Probing the Cellular Structure of Polysaccharides and Lignin in Plants
EMSL Project ID
51633
Abstract
The NMR Facility at EMSL is going to house the first commercial high-field (800 MHz/527 GHz) Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) system in the United States. This state-of-art instrument will allow us to address many biochemical questions that were previously limited by the low sensitivity of the NMR technique. A promising biosystem for DNP investigations is the plant biomass. Biomolecules in these lignocellulose materials are central reservoirs of energy and carbons but their native structures are very difficult to characterize. We have recently employed solid-state NMR and DNP methods to elucidate the structure and physical packing of biopolymers in plant biomass. Based on the prior efforts and in collaboration with the leading experts in the EMSL NMR team, we propose to (Aim 1) develop an optimized protocol for high-field DNP experiments, (Aim 2) enable the structural determination of polysaccharides and associated polymers (for example, lignin) in unlabeled biomass, and (Aim 3) to visualize polymer interaction interface with atomic-level resolution. This project will substantially expand our spectroscopic capabilities and provide novel insight into the supramolecular assembly of lignocellulose. The expected outcomes have the great potential to substantially expand our technical capability of investigating complex biomaterials and obtain molecular information on the structure and assembly of biopolymers in energy-relevant biomass. The proposed, fundamental research on lignocellulose materials will support BER's mission in achieving a predictive understanding of complex biological and environmental systems for energy.
Project Details
Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2020-12-01
End Date
2022-04-22
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator