Dihedral Angle Measurements for Structure Determination by Biomolecular Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 9, 2025

Atomic Scale Structural Studies of Macromolecular Assemblies by Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Published on: September 17, 2017
1Solid-state NMR Group, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
Abstract:
In structural studies of immobilized, aggregated and self-assembled biomolecules, solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy can provide valuable high-resolution structural information. Among the structural restraints provided by magic angle spinning (MAS) ssNMR the canonical focus is on inter-atomic distance measurements. In the current review, we examine the utility of ssNMR measurements of angular constraints, as a complement to distance-based structure determination. The focus is on direct measurements of angular restraints via the judicious recoupling of multiple anisotropic ssNMR parameters, such as dipolar couplings and chemical shift anisotropies. Recent applications are highlighted, with a focus on studies of nanocrystalline polypeptides, aggregated peptides and proteins, receptor-substrate interactions, and small molecule interactions with amyloid protein fibrils. The review also examines considerations of when and where ssNMR torsion angle experiments are (most) effective, and discusses challenges and opportunities for future applications.
Related Concept Videos
¹H NMR of Conformationally Flexible Molecules: Temporal Resolution
¹H NMR of Conformationally Flexible Molecules: Variable-Temperature NMR
Newman Projections
The organic molecules rotate across the single bonds leading to numerous temporary three-dimensional structures of varying energy known as...
2D NMR: Overview of Homonuclear Correlation Techniques
COSY90 is the standard two-dimensional (2D) COSY experiment that...
Two-Dimensional (2D) NMR: Overview
The first step is the preparation period, during which nucleus A is excited with a radiofrequency pulse....
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...

