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Modern Magnetic Resonance pp 419–434Cite as

Residual Dipolar Coupling for Conformational and Dynamic Studies

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Abstract

Residual dipolar coupling (RDC) is a nuclear magnetic resonance parameter that contains rich information about the structure and dynamics of biomolecules. RDCs are particularly advantageous for the investigation of biomolecular dynamics since they are sensitive to a broader range of timescales than traditional NMR parameters. The observation of RDCs in liquid requires partial alignment of the solute to the static magnetic field, otherwise dipolar coupling would average to zero as a result of isotropic reorientation of the molecule. Partial alignment can be achieved by taking advantage of the physical or chemical properties of the solute or the solvent molecule. The degree and orientation of alignment is described by the alignment tensor, which must be unique to provide new information about the biomolecule. This is important, because there is an inherent structural degeneracy of RDCs, whether being used to study conformation or dynamics. This can be lifted by the inclusion of multiple RDC data sets with distinct alignment tensors. The recent development of rigid lanthanide-containing covalent tags offers a potential solution to structural degeneracy, since unique alignments can be obtained by exchange of the lanthanide or modification of the tag’s attachment site on the biomolecule. This review aims to concisely summarize the most recent developments in the collection, analysis, and validation of RDCs, as well as the potential impact of rigid, lanthanide-containing tags for use in the study of the structure and dynamics of biomolecules.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Madeleine Strickland & Nico Tjandra

Authors
  1. Madeleine Strickland
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  2. Nico Tjandra
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Correspondence to Nico Tjandra .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Society of Chemistry, London, United Kingdom

    Graham A. Webb

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Strickland, M., Tjandra, N. (2018). Residual Dipolar Coupling for Conformational and Dynamic Studies. In: Webb, G. (eds) Modern Magnetic Resonance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28388-3_86

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