[Technical problems in the nuclear magnetic resonance of nucleic acids]

The application of nuclear magnetic resonance to nucleic acids is discussed here, in terms of the proposed study of their structural, conformational and dynamic aspects. Relaxation techniques, using for example paramagnetic ions as localised probes, provide information about dynamic behaviour ; high resolution spectroscopy about three-dimensional structure, using proton or carbon 13 resonance for the overall study, and phosphorus 31 resonance for the study of phosphate polyribose chain.