Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026

Modeling Ligands into Maps Derived from Electron Cryomicroscopy
Published on: July 19, 2024
Dynamics of the glycosidic bond: conformational space of lactose
Máté Erdélyi1, Edward d'Auvergne, Armando Navarro-Vázquez
1NMR-Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
Abstract:
The dynamics of the glycosidic bond of lactose was studied by a paramagnetic tagging-based NMR technique, which allowed the collection of an unusually large series of NMR data for a single compound. By the use of distance- and orientation-dependent residual dipolar couplings and pseudocontact shifts, the simultaneous fitting of the probabilities of computed conformations and the orientation of the magnetic susceptibility tensor of a series of lanthanide complexes of lactose show that its glycosidic bond samples syn/syn, anti/syn and syn/anti ϕ/ψ regions of the conformational space in water. The analysis indicates a higher reliability of pseudocontact shift data as compared to residual dipolar couplings with the presently available weakly orienting paramagnetic tagging technique. The method presented herein allows for an improved understanding of the dynamic behaviour of oligosaccharides.
Related Concept Videos
Chemistry of Carbohydrates
Chemistry of Carbohydrates
Chemistry of Carbohydrates
Fischer Projections
Chair Conformation of Cyclohexane
The hydrogen atoms linked to carbons are arranged in two different axial and equatorial orientations to achieve this staggered...
Newman Projections
The organic molecules rotate across the single bonds leading to numerous temporary three-dimensional structures of varying energy known as conformers.

