Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Of Biological Macromolecules Part A

This volume and its companion, Volume 339, supplement Volumes 176, 177, 239, and 261. Chapters are written with a "hands-on" perspective. That is, practical applications with critical evaluations of methodologies and experimental considerations needed to design, execute, and interpret NMR experiments pertinent to biological molecules.

This volume and its companion, Volume 338, supplement Volumes 176, 177, 239, and 261. Chapters are written with a "hands-on" perspective. That is, practical applications with critical evaluations of methodologies and experimental considerations needed to design, execute, and interpret NMR experiments pertinent to biological molecules.

The critically acclaimed laboratory standard, Methods in Enzymology, is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. The series contains much material still relevant today - truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Biological Macromolecules, Part C is written with a "hands-on" perspective. That is, practical applications with critical evaluations of methodologies and experimental considerations needed to design, execute, and interpret NMR experiments pertinent to biological molecules. * One of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry since 1955 * Frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike * Truly an essential publication for anyone in any field of the life sciences

During teaching NMR to students and researchers, we felt the need for a text-book which can cover modern trends in the application of NMR to biological systems. This book covers the entire area of NMR in Biological Sciences (Biomolecules, cells and tissues, animals, plants and drug design). As well as being useful to researchers, this is an excellent book for teaching a course on NMR in Biological Systems.

Provided here are the latest techniques of NMR as applied to the study of proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids. The first chapters are devoted to an introduction to NMR and parameters related to molecular structure and molecular interactions. NMR experiments from basic 1D to 2D, 3D and 4D, used in combination with isotopically labelled molecules, are described and a general strategy is presented for biomacromolecular structure determination. Subsequent chapters deal with more advanced principles and techniques and their applications to structural and dynamic processes involving biomacromolecules in solution. Advanced results on peptide, protein, oligosaccharide and nucleic acid structure and recognition are presented.

This volume is the scientific chronicle of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Computational Aspects of the Study of Biological Macro molecules by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, which was held June 3-8, 1990 at Il Ciocco, near Barga, Italy. The use of computers in the study of biological macromolecules by NMR spectroscopy is ubiquitous. The applications are diverse, including data col lection, reduction, and analysis. Furthermore, their use is rapidly evolv ing, driven by the development of new experimental methods in NMR and molecular biology and by phenomenal increases in computational perfor mance available at reasonable cost. Computers no longer merely facilitate, but are now absolutely essential in the study of biological macromolecules by NMR, due to the size and complexity of the data sets that are obtained from modern experiments. The Workshop, and this proceedings volume, provide a snapshot of the uses of computers in the NMR of biomolecules. While by no means exhaustive, the picture that emerges illustrates both the· importance and the diversity of their application.

The contemplation of truth and beauty is the proper object for which we were created, which calls forth the most intense desires of the soul, and of which it never tires -Hazlitt In his Nobel lecture Purcell commented that when he saw snow in New England after the discovery of NMR, it appeared like "heaps of protons quietly precessing in earth's magnetic field. " If he were to make the comment in the context of how NMR is being used today, he could have conjured up an image of hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen nuclei in proteins of an earthbound 8rganism subtly orchestrating a quiet symphony of frequencies, from 150 Hz to 2 kHz, carrying clues to the three-dimensional structure of the macromolecules. The manner in which the basic discoveries of Bloch and Purcell have led to the emergence of NMR, several decades later, as a major technique of biological and medical physics (and chemistry) is a striking example of the power of basic research. It is also a fascinating saga whereby whenever it was felt that the field had reached a plateau, new directions, new technologies, and sometimes serendipity produced new developments that revolutionized the technique and enhanced its capability. As Richard Ernst points out "NMR is intellectually attractive, . . . the practical importance of NMR is enormous, and can justify much of the playful activities of an addicted spectroscopist" (Nobel lecture).

NMR in Molecular Biology provides an introduction to the basic concepts and principles of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) that are essential to a critical evaluation of experimental data. It also aims to acquaint readers in some detail with those prototype experiments in which a definite, biologically relevant answer has been obtained. The book opens with a chapter on the historical development of NMR technology. Separate chapters follow on the fundamental principles of NMR; paramagnetic perturbations of NMR spectra; time scales, chemical exchange, and problems of exchange; and characteristics of NMR spectra through investigations of compounds such as amino acids and peptides; and nucleic acid bases, nucleosides, and nucleotides. Subsequent chapters deal with protein NRM spectra, protein-ligand interactions, and the structure and dynamics of membranes. This book is intended for the student or practicing scientist wishing to gain a critical understanding of the applications of NMR to a wide range of problems in molecular biology.