Structural determination of larger proteins using stable isotope labeling and NMR spectroscopy

The project sought to employ stable isotope labeling and NMR spectroscopy to study protein structures and provide insight into important biochemical problems. A methylotrophic bacterial expression system has been developed for uniform deuterium and carbon-13 labeling of proteins for structural studies. These organisms grow using methanol as the sole source of carbon and energy. Because isotopically labeled methanol is relatively inexpensive, the methylotrophs are ideal for expressing proteins labeled uniformly with deuterium and/or carbon-13. This expression system has been employed to prepare deuterated troponin C. NMR spectroscopy measurements have been made on the inhibitory peptide from troponin I (residues 96--115), both as the free peptide and the peptide complexed with deuterated troponin C. Proton-NMR spectroscopy resonance-signal assignments have been made for the free peptide.