Copper Based Site-directed Spin Labeling of Proteins for Use in Pulsed and Continuous Wave EPR Spectroscopy

Site-directed spin labeling in conjunction with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is an attractive approach to measure residue specific dynamics and point-to-point distance distributions in a biomolecule. Here, we focus on the labeling of proteins with a Cu(II)-nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) complex, by exploiting two strategically placed histidine residues (called the dHis motif). This labeling strategy has emerged as a means to overcome key limitations of many spin labels. Through utilizing the dHis motif, Cu(II)NTA rigidly binds to a protein without depending on cysteine residues. This protocol outlines three major points: the synthesis of the Cu(II)NTA complex; the measurement of continuous wave and pulsed EPR spectra, to verify a successful synthesis, as well as successful protein labeling; and utilizing Cu(II)NTA labeled proteins, to measure distance constraints and backbone dynamics. In doing so, EPR measurements are less influenced by sidechain motion, which influences the breadth of the measured distance distributions between two spins, as well as the measured residue-specific dynamics. More broadly, such EPR-based distance measurements provide unique structural constraints for integrative structural biophysics and complement traditional biophysical techniques, such as NMR, cryo-EM, FRET, and crystallography. Graphic abstract: Monitoring the success of Cu(II)NTA labeling.