Insight into protein dynamics from nuclear magnetic relaxation studies

Abstract

In the review (63 references) the nuclear magnetic relaxation which is a unique experimental method giving insight into dynamic processes existing in proteins and covering a broad range of time scales was presented. This method, however, is demanding experimentally and theoretically. Exprimental methods limited to 15N nuclei are briefly presented and their limitations discussed. Analysis of experimental relaxation data for proteins can be done in the frame of model-free approach or applying spectral density mapping. Both those approaches are difficult for the physical interpretation of results. Besides motional parameters, some structural parameters influence relaxation rates and have to be estimated or determined. Hopefully, many problems connected with the analysis of relaxation data in proteins can be overcome with relaxation measurements at multiple magnetic fields for different isotopes like 15N, 13C, and 2H.