Asymmetry of 13C labeled 3-pyruvate affords improved site specific labeling of RNA for NMR spectroscopy

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Asymmetry of 13C labeled 3-pyruvate affords improved site specific labeling of RNA for NMR spectroscopy


Abstract Selective isotopic labeling provides an unparalleled window within which to study the structure and dynamics of RNAs by high resolution NMR spectroscopy. Unlike commonly used carbon sources, the asymmetry of 13C-labeled pyruvate provides selective labeling in both the ribose and base moieties of nucleotides using Escherichia coli variants, that until now were not feasible. Here we show that an E. coli mutant strain that lacks succinate and malate dehydrogenases (DL323) and grown on [3-13C]-pyruvate affords ribonucleotides with site specific labeling at C5â?² (~95%) and C1â?² (~42%) and minimal enrichment elsewhere in the ribose ring. Enrichment is also achieved at purine C2 and C8 (~95%) and pyrimidine C5 (~100%) positions with minimal labeling at pyrimidine C6 and purine C5 positions. These labeling patterns contrast with those obtained with DL323 E. coli grown on [1, 3-13C]-glycerol for which the ribose ring is labeled in all but the C4â?² carbon position, leading to multiplet splitting of the C1â?², C2â?² and C3â?² carbon atoms. The usefulness of these labeling patterns is demonstrated with a 27-nt RNA fragment derived from the 30S ribosomal subunit. Removal of the strong magnetic coupling within the ribose and base leads to increased sensitivity, substantial simplification of NMR spectra, and more precise and accurate dynamic parameters derived from NMR relaxation measurements. Thus these new labels offer valuable probes for characterizing the structure and dynamics of RNA that were previously limited by the constraint of uniformly labeled nucleotides.

• Content Type Journal Article
• Category Article
• Pages 1-13
• DOI 10.1007/s10858-011-9582-5
• Authors
  • Chandar S. Thakur, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Center for Biomolecular Structure and Organization, University of Maryland, 1115 Biomolecular Sciences Bldg (#296), College Park, MD 20742-3360, USA
  • T. Kwaku Dayie, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Center for Biomolecular Structure and Organization, University of Maryland, 1115 Biomolecular Sciences Bldg (#296), College Park, MD 20742-3360, USA

• • Journal Journal of Biomolecular NMR
  • Online ISSN 1573-5001
  • Print ISSN 0925-2738

Source: Journal of Biomolecular NMR