Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Atomic Scale Structural Studies of Macromolecular Assemblies by Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Published on: September 17, 2017
Dipolar dynamic frequency shifts in multiple-quantum spectra of methyl groups in proteins: correlation with
Vitali Tugarinov1, Jason E Ollerenshaw, Lewis E Kay
1Department of Medical Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada.
Abstract:
Small deviations from the expected relative positions of multiplet components in double- and zero-quantum 1H-13C methyl correlation maps have been observed in spectra recorded on a 7-kDa protein. These dynamic frequency shifts (DFS) are the result of dipolar cross-correlations that derive from fields produced by the spins within the methyl groups. The shifts have been quantified and compared with values calculated from a Redfield analysis. Good agreement is noted between the signs of the predicted and experimentally observed relative shifts of lines in both F1 and F2 dimensions of spectra, as well as between the magnitudes of the calculated and observed shifts in the F2 (1H) dimension. The experimental DFS values show a reasonable correlation with 2H relaxation-derived measures of methyl side-chain dynamics, as expected from theory. This suggests that in cases where such shifts can be quantified, they can serve as qualitative measures of motion.
Related Concept Videos
Spin–Spin Coupling Constant: Overview
Qualitatively, any spin plus-half nucleus polarizes the spins of its electrons to the minus-half state. Consequently, the paired electron in the hydrogen–carbon bond must have a...
NMR Spectroscopy: Chemical Shift Overview
For instance, the proton...
¹H NMR: Interpreting Distorted and Overlapping Signals
As Δν decreases and the signals move closer, the doublets appear increasingly distorted. The intensities of the inner lines increase at the cost of those of the outer lines as the signals are slanted or...
2D NMR: Heteronuclear Single-Quantum Correlation Spectroscopy (HSQC)
Proton (¹H) NMR: Chemical Shift
Absorption signals of all the protium nuclei in a...
¹H NMR: Complex Splitting
Splitting diagrams or splitting tree diagrams are routinely used to depict such complex couplings. While drawing splitting diagrams, the splitting with the larger coupling constant is usually applied first.

