Application of multiple-quantum line narrowing with simultaneous 1H and 13C constant-time scalar-coupling evolution in PFG-HACANH and PFG-HACA(CO)NH triple-resonance experiments

• Published in: Journal of biomolecular NMR 1997-01, Vol.9 (1), p.105-111
• Main Authors: Swapna, G V, Rios, C B, Shang, Z, Montelione, G T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Experiments; Resonance
• ISSN: 0925-2738; 1573-5001
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1018683920602

Many triple-resonance experiments make use of one-bond heteronuclear scalar couplings toestablish connectivities among backbone and/or side-chain nuclei. In medium-sized(15-30 kDa) proteins, short transverse relaxation times of Calpha single-quantum stateslimit signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios. These relaxation properties can be improved usingheteronuclear multiple-quantum coherences (HMQCs) instead of heteronuclear single-quantumcoherences (HSQCs) in the pulse sequence design. In slowly tumbling macromolecules, theseHMQCs can exhibit significantly better transverse relaxation properties than HSQCs.However, HMQC-type experiments also exhibit resonance splittings due to multiple two- andthree-bond homo- and heteronuclear scalar couplings. We describe here a family of pulsed-field gradient (PFG) HMQC-type triple-resonance experiments using simultaneous 1H and13C constant-time (CT) periods to eliminate the t1 dependence of these scalar couplingeffects. These simultaneous CT PFG-(HA)CANH and PFG-(HA)CA(CO)NH HMQC-typeexperiments exhibit sharper resonance line widths and often have better S/N ratios than thecorresponding HSQC-type experiments. Results on proteins ranging in size from 6 to 30 kDashow average methine CalphaH HMQC:HSQC enhancement factors of 1.10 +/- 0.15, withabout 40% of the cross peaks exhibiting better S/N ratios in the simultaneous CT-HMQCversions compared with the HSQC versions.