World’s First Successful High Resolution NMR Measurement of Protein Using Oxide Superconductor NMR Device

2008.10.17

National Institute for Materials Science
RIKEN Systems and Structural Biology Center

A research team consisting of members from the National Institute for Materials Science, RIKEN, Kobe Steel, Ltd., and JEOL Ltd. led by Dr. Tsukasa Kiyoshi of NIMS developed a high resolution NMR device using an oxide superconductor coil for the first time in the world and succeeded in NMR measurement of samples of aqueous solutions of proteins. The work was part of the Development of Systems and Technology for Advanced Measurement and Analysis Project of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).

Abstract

  1. A research team consisting of members from the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS; President: Teruo Kishi), RIKEN (President: Ryoji Noyori), Kobe Steel, Ltd. (President: Yasuo Inubushi), and JEOL Ltd. (President: Gonemon Kurihara) led by Dr. Tsukasa Kiyoshi (Group Leader) of NIMS developed a high resolution NMR device using an oxide superconductor coil for the first time in the world and succeeded in NMR measurement of samples of aqueous solutions of proteins. The work was part of the Development of Systems and Technology for Advanced Measurement and Analysis Project of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).
  2. Because oxide superconducting materials display outstanding performance in strong magnetic fields, high expectations have been placed on application to NMR devices, in which a strong field is necessary. However, practical application had not been achieved to date due to the difficulty of obtaining the temporal stability and spatial homogeneity of the field required in NMR. Therefore, the research team undertook the development of a method of obtaining temporal stability and spatial homogeneity in the magnetic field on the same order as in conventional NMR devices under a condition in which the oxide superconducting magnet is driven by an electrical power source, and succeeded in the development of the following four items.
    1. Precision winding technique for tape-shaped oxide superconducting material capable of obtaining high magnetic homogeneity.
    2. Cryostat capable of maintaining the liquid helium used to cool the magnet for extended periods of time with drive by an electrical power source.
    3. External electric power source for magnet drive with the world’s highest level of current stability.
    4. Technique for stabilizing the magnetic field by compensating for field variations caused by the power source.
    Technique for stabilizing the magnetic field by compensating for field variations caused by the power source.
  3. NMR devices are already only one step away from 23.5T (corresponding to a proton resonance frequency of 1GHz). However, this field is considered to be the use limit for metal superconducting materials. In order to realize magnetic fields exceeding 1GHz, use of oxide superconductor coils will be indispensable. Because the results of this work demonstrated that it is possible to obtain a stable, homogeneous magnetic field with oxide superconductors, this achievement is a major breakthrough opening the way to realization of NMR devices exceeding 1GHz.
  4. These research results were obtained as part of “Development of Above 1GHz NRM System” in the Development of Systems and Technology for Advanced Measurement and Analysis Project of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), and will be announced at the Meeting on Cryogenics and Superconductivity to be held in Kochi City, Japan beginning November 12, 2008.