Orthogonal Tyrosine and Cysteine Site-Directed Spin Labeling for Dipolar Pulse EPR Spectroscopy on Proteins

J Phys Chem Lett. 2017 Oct 5;8(19):4852-4857. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b02220. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Abstract

Site-directed spin labeling of native tyrosine residues in isolated domains of the protein PTBP1, using a Mannich-type reaction, was combined with conventional spin labeling of cysteine residues. Double electron-electron resonance (DEER) EPR measurements were performed for both the nitroxide-nitroxide and Gd(III)-nitroxide label combinations within the same protein molecule. For the prediction of distance distributions from a structure model, rotamer libraries were generated for the two linker forms of the tyrosine-reactive isoindoline-based nitroxide radical Nox. Only moderate differences exist between the spatial spin distributions for the two linker forms of Nox. This strongly simplifies DEER data analysis, in particular, if only mean distances need to be predicted.

MeSH terms

  • Cysteine
  • Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy*
  • Electrons
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nitrogen Oxides
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Spin Labels*
  • Tyrosine

Substances

  • Nitrogen Oxides
  • Proteins
  • Spin Labels
  • Tyrosine
  • nitroxyl
  • Cysteine