Wiktor Koźmiński

Optimization of random time domain sampling in multidimensional NMR.

The detailed description of rules for generation of different random sampling schemes is shown and discussed with regard to Multidimensional Fourier Transform (MFT). The influence of different constrained random sampling schedules on FT of constant signal, i.e., Point Spread Function (PSF), is analyzed considering artifacts level and distribution. We found that Poisson disk sampling schedule, which provides a large low-artifact area in the signal vicinity, is the method of choice in the case of nonlinear sampling of time domain in NMR experiments. We have verified the new sampling schemes by application to the 3D HNCACB and 15N-edited NOESY-HSQC spectra acquired for 13C,15N labeled ubiquitin sample.

Strategy for complete NMR assignment of disordered proteins with highly repetitive sequences based on resolution-enhanced 5D experiments.

A strategy for complete backbone and side-chain resonance assignment of disordered proteins with highly repetitive sequence is presented. The protocol is based on three resolution-enhanced NMR experiments: 5D HN(CA)CONH provides sequential connectivity, 5D HabCabCONH is utilized to identify amino acid types, and 5D HC(CC-TOCSY)CONH is used to assign the side-chain resonances. The improved resolution was achieved by a combination of high dimensionality and long evolution times, allowed by non-uniform sampling in the indirect dimensions. Random distribution of the data points and Sparse Multidimensional Fourier Transform processing were used. Successful application of the assignment procedure to a particularly difficult protein, δ subunit of RNA polymerase from Bacillus subtilis, is shown to prove the efficiency of the strategy. The studied protein contains a disordered C-terminal region of 81 amino acids with a highly repetitive sequence. While the conventional assignment methods completely failed due to a very small differences in chemical shifts, the presented strategy provided a complete backbone and side-chain assignment.

Narrow peaks and high dimensionalities: exploiting the advantages of random sampling.

Level of artifacts in spectra obtained by Multidimensional Fourier Transform has been studied, considering randomly sampled signals of high dimensionality and long evolution times. It has been shown theoretically and experimentally, that this level is dependent on the number of time domain samples, but not on its relation to the number of points required in appropriate conventional experiment. Independence of the evolution time domain size (in the terms of both: dimensionality and evolution time reached), suggests that random sampling should be used rather to design new techniques with large time domain than to accelerate standard experiments. 5D HC(CC-TOCSY)CONH has been presented as the example of such approach. The feature of Multidimensional Fourier Transform, namely the possibility of calculating spectral values at arbitrary chosen frequency points, allowed easy examination of resulting spectrum. We present the example of such approach, referred to as Sparse Multidimensional Fourier Transform.

Non-uniform frequency domain for optimal exploitation of non-uniform sampling.

Random sampling of NMR signal, not limited by Nyquist Theorem, yields up to thousands-fold gain in the experiment time required to obtain desired spectral resolution. Discrete Fourier transform (DFT), that can be used for processing of randomly sampled datasets, provides rarely exploited possibility to introduce irregular frequency domain. Here we demonstrate how this feature opens an avenue to NMR techniques of ultra-high resolution and dimensionality. We present the application of high resolution 5D experiments for protein backbone assignment and measurements of coupling constants from the 4D E.COSY multiplets. Spectral data acquired with the use of proposed techniques allow easy assignment of protein backbone resonances and precise determination of coupling constants.

Multiple quadrature detection in reduced dimensionality experiments

A new, simple procedure is proposed which enables acquisition of two or more chemical shifts encoded in a common dimension simultaneously in quadrature. For n chemical shifts projected in a single dimension, the expected effect is obtained by interleaved acquisition and appropriate combination of 2n data sets per increment of respective evolution time. The particular chemical shifts can be calculated from sums and differences of signal frequencies obtained by different combination of the acquired data sets. In comparison to the established reduced dimensionality (RD) techniques, the proposed method enhances resolution due to reduction of the number of signals and requires less evolution time increments owing to narrower spectral width in the RD-domain. We show examples of the application of the new approach to the 2D HNCA and HN(CO)CA techniques with two, and 2D HACANH with three frequencies simultaneously encoded in the t1 evolution period, for 13C,15N-labeled ubiquitin.

Iterative algorithm of discrete Fourier transform for processing randomly sampled NMR data sets.

Spectra obtained by application of multidimensional Fourier Transformation (MFT) to sparsely sampled nD NMR signals are usually corrupted due to missing data. In the present paper this phenomenon is investigated on simulations and experiments. An effective iterative algorithm for artifact suppression for sparse on-grid NMR data sets is discussed in detail. It includes automated peak recognition based on statistical methods. The results enable one to study NMR spectra of high dynamic range of peak intensities preserving benefits of random sampling, namely the superior resolution in indirectly measured dimensions. Experimental examples include 3D 15N- and 13C-edited NOESY-HSQC spectra of human ubiquitin.

Speeding up sequence specific assignment of IDPs

The characterization of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) by NMR spectroscopy is made difficult by the extensive spectral overlaps. To overcome the intrinsic low-resolution of the spectra the introduction of high-dimensionality experiments is essential. We present here a set of high-resolution experiments based on direct 13C-detection which proved useful in the assignment of α-synuclein, a paradigmatic IDP. In particular, we describe the implementation of 4D HCBCACON, HCCCON, HCBCANCO, 4/5D HNCACON and HNCANCO and 3/4D HCANCACO experiments, specifically tailored for spin system identification and backbone resonances sequential assignment. The use of non-uniform-sampling in the indirect dimension and of the H-flip approach to achieve longitudinal relaxation enhancement rendered the experiments very practical.

High-dimensionality 13C direct-detected NMR experiments for the automatic assignment of intrinsically disordered proteins

We present three novel exclusively heteronuclear 5D 13C direct-detected NMR experiments, namely (HN-flipN)CONCACON, (HCA)CONCACON and (H)CACON(CA)CON, designed for easy sequence-specific resonance assignment of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). The experiments proposed have been optimized to overcome the drawbacks which may dramatically complicate the characterization of IDPs by NMR, namely the small dispersion of chemical shifts and the fast exchange of the amide protons with the solvent. A fast and reliable automatic assignment of α-synuclein chemical shifts was obtained with the Tool for SMFT-based Assignment of Resonances (TSAR) program based on the information provided by these experiments.

Suppression of sampling artefacts in high-resolution four-dimensional NMR spectra using signal separation algorithm.

The development of non-uniform sampling (NUS) strategies permits to obtain high-dimensional spectra with increased resolution in significantly reduced experimental time. We extended a previously proposed signal separation algorithm (SSA) to process sparse four-dimensional NMR data. It is employed for two experiments carried out for a partially unstructured 114-residue construct of chicken Engrailed 2 protein, namely 4D HCCH-TOCSY and 4D C,N-edited NOESY. The SSA allowed us to obtain high-quality spectra using only as little as 0.16% of the available samples, with low sampling artefacts approaching the thermal noise level in most spectral regions. It is demonstrated that NUS 4D HCCH-TOCSY is dominated by sampling noise and requires efficient artefact suppression. On the other hand, 4D C,N-edited NOESY is a particularly attractive experiment for NUS, as the absence of diagonal peaks renders the problem of artefacts less critical. We also present a transverse-relaxation optimized sequence for HMQC that is especially designed for longer evolution periods in the indirectly detected proton dimension in high-dimensional pulse sequences. In conjunction with novel sampling strategies and efficient processing methods, this improvement enabled us to obtain unique structural information about aliphatic-amide contacts.

A set of 4D NMR experiments of enhanced resolution for easy resonance assignment in proteins.

This paper presents examples of techniques based on the principle of random sampling that allows acquisition of NMR spectra featuring extraordinary resolution. This is due to increased dimensionality and maximum evolution time reached. The acquired spectra of CsPin protein and maltose binding protein were analyzed statistically with the aim to evaluate each technique. The results presented include exemplary spectral cross-sections. The spectral data provided by the proposed techniques allow easy assignment of backbone and side-chain resonances.