In-Cell NMR Spectroscopy of Nucleic Acids in Human Cells

Abstract

In-cell NMR spectroscopy is a unique tool that enables the study of the structure and dynamics of biomolecules as well as their interactions in the complex environment of living cells at near-to-atomic resolution. In this article, detailed instructions are described for setting up an in-cell NMR experiment for monitoring structures of DNA oligonucleotides introduced into nuclei of living human cells via tailored electroporation. Detailed step-by-step protocols for both the preparation of an in-cell NMR sample as well as protocols for conducting essential control experiments including flow cytometry and confocal microscopy are described. The strengths and limitations of in-cell NMR experiments are discussed. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.