A flat-coil NMR probe with hydration control of oriented phospholipid bilayer samples

A novel flat-coil solid-state NMR probe capable of controlling the hydration of oriented phospholipid bilayers in the course of long-term experiments, is described. Perfect hydration control for at least five days of intense radio-frequency pulsing is demonstrated using (31)P NMR of oriented dimyristoylphospha-tidylcholine bilayers. The probe design will be of particular importance for studies of peptides and proteins oriented in lipid bilayers.