How Much Entropy Is Contained in NMR Relaxation Parameters?

Solution-state NMR relaxation experiments are the cornerstone to study internal protein dynamics at an atomic resolution on time scales that are faster than the overall rotational tumbling time tR. Since the motions described by NMR relaxation parameters are connected to thermodynamic quantities like conformational entropies, the question arises how much of the total entropy is contained within this tumbling time. Using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the T4 lysozyme, we found that entropy buildup is rather fast for the backbone, such that the majority of the entropy is indeed contained in the short-time dynamics. In contrast, the contribution of the slow dynamics of side chains on time scales beyond tau(R) on the side-chain conformational entropy is significant and should be taken into account for the extraction of accurate thermodynamic properties.

Automated summary

Solution-state NMR relaxation experiments and molecular dynamics simulations have shown that while most entropy is contained within short-time dynamics, the slow dynamics of side chains on longer timescales significantly affects side-chain conformational entropy and must be considered for accurate extraction of thermodynamic properties.