Correlated bond rotations in interactions of arginine residues with ligand carboxylate groups in protein ligand complexes.

The 1H/15N HSQC NMR spectra of complexes of Lactobacillus casei dihydrofolate reductase containing methotrexate recorded at 1 degree C show four resolved signals for the four NH(eta) protons of the Arg57 residue. This is consistent with hindered rotation in the guanidino group resulting from interactions with the alpha-carboxylate of methotrexate. Increasing the temperature causes exchange line-broadening and coalescence of signals. Rotation rates for the N(epsilon)C(zeta) and C(zeta)N(eta) bonds have been calculated from lineshape analysis and from zz-HSQC exchange experiments. The interactions between the methotrexate alpha-carboxylate group and the Arg57 guanidino group decrease the rotation rates for the N(epsilon)C(zeta) bond by about a factor of 10 and those for the C(zeta)N(eta) bonds by more than a factor of 100 with respect to their values in free arginine. Furthermore, the relative rates of rotation about these two bonds are reversed in the protein complexes compared with their values in free arginine indicating that there are concerted rotations about the N(epsilon)C(zeta) bond of the Arg57 guanidino group and the C'C(alpha) bond of the glutamate alpha-carboxylate group of methotrexate.