NMR IN PROTEIN STUDIES

Thanks to X-ray crystallography, we now have detailed structural information on a number of proteins. When this is combined with results from enzyme kinetics and from studies of inhibitors, detailed mechanisms can sometimes be proposed for enzyme action. This does not, however, mean that enzyme structure and function is now understood. We cannot yet predict the shape of a protein from its amino acid sequence, or the subtle conformational effects caused by the mutation of one amino acid into another. More structural information is required before proteins can be designed for particular novel functions. NMR spectroscopy can provide some of the vital statistics.