The platform consists of two superconducting magnets of 500 and 400MHz. They provide technical and scientific complementarity for the structural determination of a wide range of mocules starting from isolated organic molecules to DNA-protein complexes via organometallic compounds or supramolecular assemblies.
The 500MHz equipment is specifically dedicated to biology and the study of the structure and dynamics of macromolecules.The laboratory topics are the structure of nucleic acids and nucleic acid-protein interactions. La plateforme permet leur étude par les méthodes RMN 2D et 3D hétéronucléaires et l'excitation des noyaux 1H, 13C, 15N et 31P.
Our studies rely heavily on the use of macromolecules enriched stable isotopes with nitrogen 15 nuclear spin and carbon 13. The laboratory has developed a novel method based on Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to produce large quantities of enriched DNA oligonucleotides. The use of these methods allows to obtain more spectral information on these molecules and thus determine their thin conformations. Comparing the intrinsic deformations of the DNA sequence to those induced by the interaction with the protein seems essential to fully understand the intimate mechanisms of DNA-protein complex. The systems studied are those UMR 8113 are interested in, including HIV integrase-1.
The equipment 400MHz (ECS400 de JEOL), recently acquired by the Institute and PPSM (UMR 8531), is primarily an instrument for routine for structure determination of organic molecules synthesized in the lab. It is with a broadband probe that allows the observation of 1H/19F nuclei and all nuclei whose resonant frequency is between 19Ag and 31P. it also has a sample changer and a variable temperature system. T-hus most of hetero-elements commonly found in organic molecules can also be observed. The equipment is therefore enrolled into the research themes of UMR8531 and allows the study of metal complexation by ionophores synthetized in PPSM and the determination of different thermodynamic parameters associated with them.