Proton-detected solid-state NMR detects the inter-nucleotide correlations and architecture of dimeric RNA in microcrystals

Advances in the Structure of GGGGCC Repeat RNA Sequence and Its Interaction with Small Molecules and Protein Partners

The aberrant expansion of GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeats within the first intron of the C9orf72 gene represent the predominant genetic etiology underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontal temporal dementia (FTD). The transcribed r(GGGGCC)n RNA repeats form RNA foci, which recruit RNA binding proteins and impede their normal cellular functions, ultimately resulting in fatal neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, the non-canonical translation of the r(GGGGCC)n sequence can generate dipeptide repeats, which have been postulated as pathological causes. Comprehensive structural analyses of r(GGGGCC)n have unveiled its polymorphic nature, exhibiting the propensity to adopt dimeric, hairpin, or G-quadruplex conformations, all of which possess the capacity to interact with RNA binding proteins. Small molecules capable of binding to r(GGGGCC)n have been discovered and proposed as potential lead compounds for the treatment of ALS and FTD. Some of these molecules function in preventing RNA-protein interactions or impeding the phase transition of r(GGGGCC)n. In this review, we present a comprehensive summary of the recent advancements in the structural characterization of r(GGGGCC)n, its propensity to form RNA foci, and its interactions with small molecules and proteins. Specifically, we emphasize the structural diversity of r(GGGGCC)n and its influence on partner binding. Given the crucial role of r(GGGGCC)n in the pathogenesis of ALS and FTD, the primary objective of this review is to facilitate the development of therapeutic interventions targeting r(GGGGCC)n RNA.

Nucleic acid-protein interfaces studied by MAS solid-state NMR spectroscopy

Solid-state NMR (ssNMR) has become a well-established technique to study large and insoluble protein assemblies. However, its application to nucleic acid-protein complexes has remained scarce, mainly due to the challenges presented by overlapping nucleic acid signals. In the past decade, several efforts have led to the first structure determination of an RNA molecule by ssNMR. With the establishment of these tools, it has become possible to address the problem of structure determination of nucleic acid-protein complexes by ssNMR. Here we review first and more recent ssNMR methodologies that study nucleic acid-protein interfaces by means of chemical shift and peak intensity perturbations, direct distance measurements and paramagnetic effects. At the end, we review the first structure of an RNA-protein complex that has been determined from ssNMR-derived intermolecular restraints.

Solid-State NMR Dipolar and Chemical Shift Anisotropy Recoupling Techniques for Structural and Dynamical Studies in Biological Systems

With the development of NMR methodology and technology during the past decades, solid-state NMR (ssNMR) has become a particularly important tool for investigating structure and dynamics at atomic scale in biological systems, where the recoupling techniques play pivotal roles in modern high-resolution MAS NMR. In this review, following a brief introduction on the basic theory of recoupling in ssNMR, we highlight the recent advances in dipolar and chemical shift anisotropy recoupling methods, as well as their applications in structural determination and dynamical characterization at multiple time scales (i.e., fast-, intermediate-, and slow-motion). The performances of these prevalent recoupling techniques are compared and discussed in multiple aspects, together with the representative applications in biomolecules. Given the recent emerging advances in NMR technology, new challenges for recoupling methodology development and potential opportunities for biological systems are also discussed.

Characterizing hydrogen bonds in intact RNA from MS2 bacteriophage using magic angle spinning NMR

RNA is a polymer with pivotal functions in many biological processes. RNA structure determination is thus a vital step toward understanding its function. The secondary structure of RNA is stabilized by hydrogen bonds formed between nucleotide basepairs, and it defines the positions and shapes of functional stem-loops, internal loops, bulges, and other functional and structural elements. In this work, we present a methodology for studying large intact RNA biomolecules using homonuclear ¹⁵N solid-state NMR spectroscopy. We show that proton-driven spin-diffusion experiments with long mixing times, up to 16 s, improved by the incorporation of multiple rotor-synchronous ¹H inversion pulses (termed radio-frequency dipolar recoupling pulses), reveal key hydrogen-bond contacts. In the full-length RNA isolated from MS2 phage, we observed strong and dominant contributions of guanine-cytosine Watson-Crick basepairs, and beyond these common interactions, we observe a significant contribution of the guanine-uracil wobble basepairs. Moreover, we can differentiate basepaired and non-basepaired nitrogen atoms. Using the improved technique facilitates characterization of hydrogen-bond types in intact large-scale RNA using solid-state NMR. It can be highly useful to guide secondary structure prediction techniques and possibly structure determination methods.

From Angstroms to Nanometers: Measuring Interatomic Distances by Solid-State NMR

Internuclear distances represent one of the main structural constraints in molecular structure determination using solid-state NMR spectroscopy, complementing chemical shifts and orientational restraints. Although a large number of magic-angle-spinning (MAS) NMR techniques have been available for distance measurements, traditional ¹³C and ¹⁵N NMR experiments are inherently limited to distances of a few angstroms due to the low gyromagnetic ratios of these nuclei. Recent development of fast MAS triple-resonance ¹⁹F and ¹H NMR probes has stimulated the design of MAS NMR experiments that measure distances in the 1-2 nm range with high sensitivity. This review describes the principles and applications of these multiplexed multidimensional correlation distance NMR experiments, with an emphasis on ¹⁹F- and ¹H-based distance experiments. Representative applications of these long-distance NMR methods to biological macromolecules as well as small molecules are reviewed.

Strategies for RNA Resonance Assignment by 13C/15N- and 1H-Detected Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

Magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR (ssNMR) is an established tool that can be applied to non-soluble or non-crystalline biomolecules of any size or complexity. The ssNMR method advances rapidly due to technical improvements and the development of advanced isotope labeling schemes. While ssNMR has shown significant progress in structural studies of proteins, the number of RNA studies remains limited due to ssNMR methodology that is still underdeveloped. Resonance assignment is the most critical and limiting step in the structure determination protocol that defines the feasibility of NMR studies. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in RNA resonance assignment methods and approaches for secondary structure determination by ssNMR. We critically discuss advantages and limitations of conventional 13C- and 15N-detected experiments and novel 1H-detected methods, identify optimal regimes for RNA studies by ssNMR, and provide our view on future ssNMR studies of RNA in large RNP complexes.

Identification of RNA base pairs and complete assignment of nucleobase resonances by 1H-detected solid-state NMR spectroscopy at 100 kHz MAS

Knowledge of RNA structure, either in isolation or in complex, is fundamental to understand the mechanism of cellular processes. Solid‐state NMR (ssNMR) is applicable to high molecular‐weight complexes and does not require crystallization; thus, it is well‐suited to study RNA as part of large multicomponent assemblies. Recently, we solved the first structures of both RNA and an RNA‐protein complex by ssNMR using conventional ¹³C‐ and ¹⁵N‐detection. This approach is limited by the severe overlap of the RNA peaks together with the low sensitivity of multidimensional experiments. Here, we overcome the limitations in sensitivity and resolution by using ¹H‐detection at fast MAS rates. We develop experiments that allow the identification of complete nucleobase spin‐systems together with their site‐specific base pair pattern using sub‐milligram quantities of one uniformly labelled RNA sample. These experiments provide rapid access to RNA secondary structure by ssNMR in protein‐RNA complexes of any size.

Selectively Enhanced 1H-1H Correlations in Proton-Detected Solid-State NMR under Ultrafast MAS Conditions

Proton-detected solid-state NMR has emerged as a powerful analytical technique in structural elucidation via ¹H-¹H correlations, which are mostly established by broadband methods. We propose a new class of frequency-selective homonuclear recoupling methods to selectively enhance ¹H-¹H correlations of interest under ultrafast magic-angle spinning (MAS). These methods, dubbed as selective phase-optimized recoupling (SPR), can provide a sensitivity enhancement by a factor of ∼3 over the widely used radio-frequency-driven recoupling (RFDR) to observe ¹H_N-¹H_N contacts in a protonated tripeptide N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF) under 150 kHz MAS and are successfully utilized to probe a long-range ¹H-¹H contact in a pharmaceutical molecule, the hydrochloride form of pioglitazone (PIO-HCl). SPR is not only highly efficient in frequency-selective recoupling but also easy to implement, imparting to it great potential to probe ¹H-¹H contacts for the structural elucidation of organic solids such as proteins and pharmaceuticals under ultrafast MAS conditions.

The Interaction of Phosphorothioate-Containing RNA Targeted Drugs with Proteins Is a Critical Determinant of the Therapeutic Effects of These Agents

Recent progress in understanding phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide (PS-ASO) interactions with proteins has revealed that proteins play deterministic roles in the absorption, distribution, cellular uptake, subcellular distribution, molecular mechanisms of action, and toxicity of PS-ASOs. Similarly, such interactions can alter the fates of many intracellular proteins. These and other advances have opened new avenues for the medicinal chemistry of PS-ASOs and research on all elements of the molecular pharmacology of these molecules. These advances have recently been reviewed. In this Perspective article, we summarize some of those learnings, the general principles that have emerged, and a few of the exciting new questions that can now be addressed.

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy for characterization of RNA and RNP complexes

Ribonucleic acids are driving a multitude of biological processes where they act alone or in complex with proteins (ribonucleoproteins, RNP). To understand these processes both structural and mechanistic information about RNA is necessary. Due to their conformational plasticity RNA pose a challenge for mainstream structural biology methods. Solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy is an emerging technique that can be applied to biomolecular complexes of any size in close-to-native conditions. This review outlines recent methodological developments in ssNMR for structural characterization of RNA and protein-RNA complexes and provides relevant examples.

A solid-state NMR tool box for the investigation of ATP-fueled protein engines

Motor proteins are involved in a variety of cellular processes. Their main purpose is to convert the chemical energy released during adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis into mechanical work. In this review, solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) approaches are discussed allowing studies of structures, conformational events and dynamic features of motor proteins during a variety of enzymatic reactions. Solid-state NMR benefits from straightforward sample preparation based on sedimentation of the proteins directly into the Magic-Angle Spinning (MAS) rotor. Protein resonance assignment is the crucial and often time-limiting step in interpreting the wealth of information encoded in the NMR spectra. Herein, potentials, challenges and limitations in resonance assignment for large motor proteins are presented, focussing on both biochemical and spectroscopic approaches. This work highlights NMR tools available to study the action of the motor domain and its coupling to functional processes, as well as to identify protein-nucleotide interactions during events such as DNA replication. Arrested protein states of reaction coordinates such as ATP hydrolysis can be trapped for NMR studies by using stable, non-hydrolysable ATP analogues that mimic the physiological relevant states as accurately as possible. Recent advances in solid-state NMR techniques ranging from Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP), ³¹P-based heteronuclear correlation experiments, ¹H-detected spectra at fast MAS frequencies >100 kHz to paramagnetic NMR are summarized and their applications to the bacterial DnaB helicase from Helicobacter pylori are discussed.

High-resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy of hydrated non-crystallized RNA

We highlight that sufficient hydration of non-crystallized RNA could provide high-resolution solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectra, with similar spectral quality to the crystallized RNA. This leads to a greatly simplified RNA preparation approach by ethanol precipitation for high-resolution SSNMR studies. It will greatly broaden the scope of SSNMR applications to the characterization of RNAs.

Longitudinal Relaxation Optimization Enhances 1 H-Detected HSQC in Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy on Challenging Biological Systems

Solid-state (SS) NMR spectroscopy is a powerful technique for studying challenging biological systems, but it often suffers from low sensitivity. A longitudinal relaxation optimization scheme to enhance the signal sensitivity of HSQC experiments in SSNMR spectroscopy is reported. Under the proposed scheme, the ¹ H spins of ¹ H-X (¹⁵ N or ¹³ C) are selected for signal acquisition, whereas other vast ¹ H spins are flipped back to the axis of the static magnetic field to accelerate the spin recovery of the observed ¹ H spins, resulting in enhanced sensitivity. Three biological systems are used to evaluate this strategy, including a seven-transmembrane protein, an RNA, and a whole-cell sample. For all three samples, the proposed scheme largely shortens the effective ¹ H longitudinal relaxation time and results in a 1.3-2.5-fold gain in sensitivity. The selected systems are representative of challenging biological systems for observation by means of SSNMR spectroscopy; thus indicating the general applicability of this method, which is particularly important for biological samples with a short lifetime or with limited sample quantities.

Rapid access to RNA resonances by proton-detected solid-state NMR at >100 kHz MAS

Fast (>100 kHz) magic angle spinning solid-state NMR allows combining high-sensitive proton detection with the absence of an intrinsic molecular weight limit. Here we apply this technique to RNA and assign nucleotide spin systems through highly sensitive multidimensional experiments.

Fast (>100 kHz) magic angle spinning solid-state NMR allows combining high-sensitive proton detection with the absence of an intrinsic molecular weight limit. Using this technique we observe for the first time narrow ¹H RNA resonances and assign nucleotide spin systems with only 200 μg of uniformly ¹³C,¹⁵N-labelled RNA.

Isotope labeling for studying RNA by solid-state NMR spectroscopy

Nucleic acids play key roles in most biological processes, either in isolation or in complex with proteins. Often they are difficult targets for structural studies, due to their dynamic behavior and high molecular weight. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (ssNMR) provides a unique opportunity to study large biomolecules in a non-crystalline state at atomic resolution. Application of ssNMR to RNA, however, is still at an early stage of development and presents considerable challenges due to broad resonances and poor dispersion. Isotope labeling, either as nucleotide-specific, atom-specific or segmental labeling, can resolve resonance overlaps and reduce the line width, thus allowing ssNMR studies of RNA domains as part of large biomolecules or complexes. In this review we discuss the methods for RNA production and purification as well as numerous approaches for isotope labeling of RNA. Furthermore, we give a few examples that emphasize the instrumental role of isotope labeling and ssNMR for studying RNA as part of large ribonucleoprotein complexes.