Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is not only a powerful technique to study structural and dynamic behavior of nucleic acids in solution, but also allows to draw a detailed picture of their interactions with metal ions. Due to the chemical nature of RNA and DNA, their chemical shift dispersion is extremely reduced and the spectra suffer from strong overlap. Therefore the combination of isotope labeling strategies together with various homo- and heteronuclear 2D and 3D NMR experiments is required for a successful assignment. Additional information can be obtained by direct observation of NMR active metal ions e.g. 109Ag, 113Cd, 199Hg. We investigate how catalysis and refolding of ribozymes and riboswitches are influenced by their structure and metal-ion binding properties. The characterization of potential nanomaterials made of metal-modified oligonucleotides is another research focus in our group.


Group members involved: Bhaumik Dave, Daniela Donghi, Silke Johannsen, Dania Marthaler, Maria Pechlaner, Magdalena Rowinska-Zyrek, Miriam Skilandat, Marianthi Zampakou.


Further reading:

• J. Inorg. Biochem., 2010, 104, 611-613
• Nature Chem., 2010, 2, 229-234
• Chimia, 2009, 63, 146-152 
• J. Inorg. Biochem., 2008, 102, 1141-1151
• Inorg. Chem., 2007, 46, 11224-11234
• ChemBioChem, 2007, 8/3, 306-314
• CHIMIA, 2005, 59, 817-821
• Nature Struct. Mol. Biol., 2004, 11, 187-192