¹H-detected MAS solid-state NMR experiments enable the simultaneous mapping of rigid and dynamic domains of membrane proteins

Magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy is emerging as a unique method for the atomic resolution structure determination of native membrane proteins in lipid bilayers. Although ¹³C-detected ssNMR experiments continue to play a major role, recent technological developments have made it possible to carry out ¹H-detected experiments, boosting both sensitivity and resolution. Here, we describe a new set of ¹H-detected hybrid pulse sequences that combine through-bond and through-space correlation elements into single experiments, enabling the simultaneous detection of rigid and dynamic domains of membrane proteins. As proof-of-principle, we applied these new pulse sequences to the membrane protein phospholamban (PLN) reconstituted in lipid bilayers under moderate MAS conditions. The cross-polarization (CP) based elements enabled the detection of the relatively immobile residues of PLN in the transmembrane domain using through-space correlations; whereas the most dynamic region, which is in equilibrium between folded and unfolded states, was mapped by through-bond INEPT-based elements. These new ¹H-detected experiments will enable one to detect not only the most populated (ground) states of biomacromolecules, but also sparsely populated high-energy (excited) states for a complete characterization of protein free energy landscapes.