Effect of magnetic field strength on the linewidth and spin-lattice relaxation time of the thiocyanate carbon of cyanylated beta-lactoglobulin B: optimization of the experimental parameters for observing thiocyanate carbons in proteins.

The linewidths and spin-lattice relaxation times of the 13C-n.m.r. signal at 109.7 p.p.m. due to the thiocyanate carbon of intact [cyanato-13C]cyanylated-beta-lactoglobulin-B have been determined at magnetic field strengths of 1.88, 6.34 and 11.74 T as well as the spin-lattice relaxation times of its backbone alpha-carbon atoms. The linewidths were directly proportional to the square of the magnetic field strength and we conclude that, at magnetic field strengths of 6.34 T or above, more than 70% of the linewidth will be determined by chemical-shift anisotropy. We estimate that the spin-lattice relaxation time resulting from the chemical-shift anisotropy of the thiocyanate carbon is 1.52 +/- 0.1 s and we conclude that for magnetic field strengths of 6.34 T and above the observed spin-lattice relaxation time of the thiocyanate carbon will be essentially independent of magnetic field strength. Using the rigid-rotor model we obtain estimates of the rotational correlation time of [cyanato-13C]cyanylated-beta-lactoglobulin-B and of the chemical-shift anisotropy shielding tensor of its thiocyanate carbon. We have calculated the linewidths and spin-lattice relaxation times of thiocyanate carbons at magnetic field strengths of 1.88-14.1 T in proteins with M(r) values in the range 10,000-400,000. The effects of magnetic field strength on the resolution and signal-to-noise ratios of the signals due to thiocyanate carbons attached to proteins of M(r) greater than 10,000 are discussed.