Multinuclear two-dimensional NMR: Assignments of natural abundance polypeptide 13C, 1H and 15N chemical shifts and demonstration of isomer interconversion

The polypeptide carbobenzoxy-glycyl-L -prolyl-L -leucyl-L -alanyl-L -proline (0.2 M in DMSO-d₆) was investigated using ¹³C, ¹H and ¹⁵N NMR in natural abundance at 4.7 tesla. The existence of cis–trans-Gly-Pro and -Ala-Pro bonds permits up to four isomers, and all four were observed (in a 60:30:7:3 ratio). ¹³C shifts of the proline β-CH₂ resonances are consistent only with the 60% form being trans–trans. The 30% form is either trans–cis or cis–trans (order as above) and was tentatively assigned as cis-trans on the basis of relaxation behavior. Refocused INEPT studies aided the ¹³C assignments. The ¹⁵N data were obtained using both NOE and INEPT excitation, with signals evident for the three major isomers. The spectra were analysed by starting from the ¹³C data, which were assigned based on known regularities in peptide spectra. A ¹³C? ¹H heteronuclear two-dimensional chemical shift correlation experiment allowed direct assignment of proton shifts for major and minor isomers. The NH proton shifts were assigned by running a homonuclear two-dimensional chemical shift correlation experiment and noting the correlation with the previously assigned α-CH protons. The ¹⁵N resonances were then assigned from a ¹⁵N? ¹H heteronuclear two-dimensional chemical shift correlation experiment, relating the ¹⁵N signals directly to the NH proton resonances. Isomer interconversion between the two major isomers was demonstrated by performing a magnetization transfer homonuclear 2D experiment. Off-diagonal intensity was noted relating the major and minor isomer alanine NH proton, as well as for the major and minor isomer leucine NH protons.