Gramicidin A Backbone and Side Chain Dynamics Evaluated by Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Experiments. II: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Experiments

by Vostrikov, Vitaly V.; Gu, Hong; Ingolfsson, Helgi I.; Hinton, James F.; Andersen, Olaf S.; Roux, Benoit; Koeppe II, R. Erdman

Motional properties are important for understanding protein function and are accessible to NMR relaxation measurements. The goal of this study is to investigate the internal dynamics occurring in gramicidin A (gA) channels in order to provide benchmark experimental data for comparison with the results of molecular dynamics simulations. We therefore synthesized several (15)N isotope-enriched gA samples, covering all backbone residues as well as the Trp indole side chains for NMR relaxation experiments. On the basis of the (15)N NMR spectra for labeled gA samples incorporated in sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) micelles, we determined T(1), T(2) and heteronuclear NOE values for backbone and indole (15)NH groups. The results indicate that the SDS-incorporated g,A channel is a constrained structure without an especially "floppy" region. The NMR observables, particularly those for backbone groups, are predicted well by the molecular dynamics simulations in the accompanying article (DOI 10.1021/jp200904d).

Journal
Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Volume
115
Issue
22
Year
2011
Start Page
7427
ISBN/ISSN
1520-5207; 1520-6106
PMID
21574558
DOI
10.1021/jp200906y