Stable Isotope Labeled Nucleic Acids for Biomolecular NMR
Advancements in NMR methodology, increased availability of larger, more powerful NMR instrumentation and the availability of stable isotope labeled nucleic acids have made the structure and function elucidation of nucleotide macromolecules a genuine reality. The use of labeled nucleic acids helps to overcome challenges such as extensive spectral crowding, increased resonance linewidths, and overall NMR signal degeneracy by providing the ability to enhance experimental sensitivity and spectral resolution. These enhancements help to increase the accuracy of solution structure determinations by facilitating the measurements of local and long-range distance restraints. 13C and/or 15N labeled nucleic acids have been employed study the links between RNA secondary structure and global conformation as well as determine dynamics in DNA flexibility. However, as the size of the macromolecules being studied increases, so do the challenges associated with resolution and relaxation rates. The use of deuterium has become the most attractive solution to combat these issues. Deuterium labeling is able to reduce linewidths, increase signal-to-noise ratios, and reduce chemical shift overlap by removing competing relaxation pathways.
ISOTEC Stable Isotopes offers an extensive array of labeled nucleic acids including our deuterated ribonucleotide triphosphates. All of our NTPs are suspended in 5 mM Tris-HCl buffer and are packaged in convenient 1 mg, 10 mg, and 25 mg quantities while our NMPs are supplied as a sodium salt powder.