Multiple-quantum magic-angle spinning spectroscopy using nonlinear sampling

NMR spectroscopy is a relatively insensitive technique and many biomolecular applications operate near the limits of sensitivity and resolution. A particularly challenging example is detection of the quadrupolar nucleus O-17, due to its low natural abundance, large quadrupole couplings, and low gyromagnetic ratio. Yet the chemical shift of O-17 spans almost 1000ppm in organic molecules and it serves as a potentially unique reporter of hydrogen bonding in peptides, nucleic acids, and water, and as a valuable complement to C-13 and N-15 NMR. Recent developments including the multiple-quantum magic-angle spinning (MQMAS) experiment have enabled the detection of O-17 in biological solids, but very long data acquisitions are required to achieve sufficient sensitivity and resolution. Here, we perform nonlinear sampling in the indirect dimension of MAMAS experiments to substantially reduce the total acquisition time and improve sensitivity and resolution. Nonlinear sampling prevents the use of the discrete Fourier transform; instead, we employ maximum entropy (MaxEnt) reconstruction. Nonlinearly sampled MAMAS spectra are shown to provide high resolution and sensitivity in several systems, including lithium sulfate monohydrate (LiSO4-(H2O)-O-17) and L-asparagine monohydrate ((H2O)-O-17). The combination of nonlinear sampling and MaxEnt reconstruction promises to make the application of O-17 MAMAS practical in a wider range of biological systems. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.