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Updated: May 29, 2026

15N CPMG Relaxation Dispersion for the Investigation of Protein Conformational Dynamics on the µs-ms Timescale
Published on: April 19, 2021
Multiplet-filtered and gradient-selected zero-quantum TROSY experiments for 13C1H3 methyl groups in proteins
Michelle L Gill1, Arthur G Palmer
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
New NMR experiments improve the measurement of protein structures by better suppressing unwanted signals. These gradient-selected heteronuclear zero-quantum coherence (gsHZQC) TROSY methods enhance accuracy for methyl groups in proteins.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Structural Biology
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy
Background:
- Heteronuclear zero-quantum coherence (HZQC) experiments are vital for protein structure determination.
- Existing HZQC sequences struggle with suppressing outer multiplet components in medium-sized or flexible proteins.
- Improved signal suppression is crucial for accurate analysis of protein dynamics and structure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and describe novel multiplet-filtered and gradient-selected heteronuclear zero-quantum coherence (gsHZQC) TROSY experiments.
- To enhance the measurement of (1)H-(13)C correlations specifically for (13)CH(3) methyl groups in proteins.
- To provide a method with improved suppression of undesirable spectral components compared to existing HZQC techniques.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of multiplet-filtered and gradient-selected HZQC TROSY pulse sequences.
- Utilized Hahn-echo versions for measuring zero- and double-quantum transverse relaxation rates.
- Applied the developed sequences to Escherichia coli ribonuclease HI (18 kD) for validation.
Main Results:
- The gsHZQC experiments demonstrated improved suppression of the heteronuclear zero-quantum multiplet's outer components.
- Effective application was shown in medium-sized proteins and flexible regions of larger proteins.
- The Hahn-echo versions enabled the identification of chemical exchange broadening via relaxation rate measurements.
- Validation on E. coli ribonuclease HI confirmed enhanced multiplet suppression without significant sensitivity loss.
Conclusions:
- The developed gsHZQC TROSY experiments offer superior performance for (1)H-(13)C correlation measurements in methyl groups.
- These methods provide enhanced spectral clarity, aiding in the structural and dynamic analysis of proteins.
- The technique is valuable for studying proteins where conventional HZQC methods face limitations, such as medium-sized or flexible systems.
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