Structural Biology

Over the years since NMR was first applied to solve problems in structural biology, it has undergonedramaticdevelopmentsinbothNMRinstrumenthardwareandmethodology. While it is established that NMR is one of the most powerful tools for understanding biological p- cesses at the atomic level, it has become increasingly difficult for authors and instructors to make valid decisions concerning the content and level for a graduate course of NMR in str- turalbiology. BecausemanyofthedetailsinpracticalNMRarenotdocumentedsystematically, students entering the field have to learn the experiments and methods through communication with other experienced students or experts. Often such a learning process is incomplete and unsystematic. This book is meant to be not only a textbook, but also a handbook for those who routinely use NMR to study various biological systems. Thus, the book is organized with experimentalists in mind, whether they are instructors or students. For those who have a little or no background in NMR structural biology, it is hoped that this book will provide sufficient perspective and insight. Those who are already experienced in NMR research may find new information or different methods that are useful to their research. Because understanding fundamental principles and concepts of NMR spectroscopy is essential for the application of NMR methods to research projects, the book begins with an introduction to basic NMR principles. While detailed mathematics and quantum mechanics dealing with NMR theory have been addressed in several well-known NMR books, Chapter 1 illustrates some of the fundamental principles and concepts of NMR spectroscopy in a more descriptiveandstraightforwardmanner.