On the use of time-averaging restraints when deriving biomolecular structure from ³J -coupling values obtained from NMR experiments.

Deriving molecular structure from [Formula: see text]-couplings obtained from NMR experiments is a challenge due to (1) the uncertainty in the Karplus relation [Formula: see text] connecting a [Formula: see text]-coupling value to a torsional angle [Formula: see text], (2) the need to account for the averaging inherent to the measurement of [Formula: see text]-couplings, and (3) the sampling road blocks that may emerge due to the multiple-valuedness of the inverse function [Formula: see text] of the function [Formula: see text]. Ways to properly handle these issues in structure refinement of biomolecules are discussed and illustrated using the protein hen egg white lysozyme as example.