NMR signal assignments of amide protons in the alpha-helical domains of staphylococcal nuclease.

We report complete assignments of the amide proton signals in the three long dNN connectivity sequences observed in the NOESY spectrum of deuteriated staphylococcal nuclease (Nase) complexed with thymidine 3',5'-bisphosphate (pdTp) and Ca2+, Mr 18K. The assignments are made by comparing NOESY spectra with 1H-15N and 1H-13C heteronuclear multiple-quantum shift correlation (HMQC) spectra of Nase samples containing 15N- and 13C-labeled amino acids. The assignments show that the residues which are linked by the dNN connectivity sequences are located in three alpha-helical domains of Nase. Our results indicate that by combining NOESY and HMQC spectra of appropriately labeled samples it should be possible to delineate and study alpha-helical domains in soluble proteins having molecular weights that are greater than 18K.