Utility of methyl side chain probes for solution NMR studies of large proteins

Selective isotopic labeling of methyl side chain groups in proteins and other biomolecules, combined with advances in perdeuteration, new pulse sequences, and high field spectrometers with cryogenic probes, has revolutionized the field of solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy by enabling characterization of macromolecular systems with molecular weights above 1 MDa in their native aqueous environment. This tutorial provides a basic overview for how modern NMR spectroscopists can utilize methyl side chain probes to study their system of interest. The advantages and limitations of methyl side chain probes are discussed. In addition, the preparation of selectively 13C-methyl labeled recombinant protein samples, strategies for manual and automated methyl NMR resonance assignment, and the application of methyl probes for characterization of dynamics and conformational exchange are discussed. A sneak preview for ways in which methyl probes are expected to continue to advance the field of biomolecular NMR towards new horizons in solution studies of large supramolecular complexes is also presented.