Nuclear magnetic resonance protein requirements

To develop a unifying view of iron center catalysis, properties of the iron center in individual enzymes must be determined. Obviously, the definitive solution for the structure is atomic resolution of the active enzyme and postulated intermediates determined by diffraction or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Just as obviously, these methods are limited by enormous time, effort, and instrumentation requirements as well as by practical and theoretical considerations. This point is emphasized by the paucity of available protein structures. In addition to the strictly structural details of the iron center, chemical and physical properties are required and, in some cases, these results augment diffraction or NMR structural studies. Discussed below are a few of the more common processes by which this information is obtained. 

Until quite recently, X-ray crystallography was the technique used almost exclusively to resolve the 3-D structure of proteins. As well as itself being technically challenging, a major limitation of X-ray crystallography is the requirement for the target protein in crystalline form. It has thus far proved difficult or impossible to induce the majority of proteins to crystallize. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is an analytical technique which can also be used to determine the three-dimensional structure of a molecule without the necessity for crystallization. For many years, even the most powerful NMR machines could resolve the 3-D structure of only relatively small proteins (less than 20-25 kDa). However, recent analytical advances now render it possible to successfully analyse much larger proteins by this technique. 

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a considerably newer technique than X-ray crystallography, and it has certain comparative advantages. First, it does not require proteins to be in crystalline form Proteins can be studied in near-physiological environmental conditions. Second, it is a quicker process. On the other hand, it also has comparative disadvantages. It is limited by the size of the molecule and by the solubility of the molecule being studied, which means that... 

Elaboration of nerve agent toxicokinetics requires sophisticated analytical tools to detect and, if possible, to quantify the free toxicants as well as adducts with proteins and enzymes. Analysis of OP nerve agents has been performed by capillary electrophoresis (CE), biosensors, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) MS, desorption electrospray ionization MS (DESI MS), ion mobility time-of-flight MS (IM-TOF MS), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), LC-UV, gas chromatography (GC), and many more techniques (Hooijschuur et al, 2002 John et al, 2008). 

---