Strategies for RNA Resonance Assignment by ¹³C/¹⁵N- and ¹H-Detected Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

Magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR (ssNMR) is an established tool that can be applied to non-soluble or non-crystalline biomolecules of any size or complexity. The ssNMR method advances rapidly due to technical improvements and the development of advanced isotope labeling schemes. While ssNMR has shown significant progress in structural studies of proteins, the number of RNA studies remains limited due to ssNMR methodology that is still underdeveloped. Resonance assignment is the most critical and limiting step in the structure determination protocol that defines the feasibility of NMR studies. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in RNA resonance assignment methods and approaches for secondary structure determination by ssNMR. We critically discuss advantages and limitations of conventional ¹³C- and ¹⁵N-detected experiments and novel ¹H-detected methods, identify optimal regimes for RNA studies by ssNMR, and provide our view on future ssNMR studies of RNA in large RNP complexes.