Conformational Studies of Macrocyclic Corrin-Ring of Coenzyme B12 by NMR methods

An enzyme derived conformational changes of cobalamine is thought to be important in the homolytic cleavage of Co-C bond which is the first step of catalytic Cl-cycle of coenzyme B12-dependent enzymes. Modern 2D-NMR and NMR-based distance geometric studies were carried out to determine the 3D structure of corrin ring. Homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation NMR experiments were performed for complete 1H-NMR signal assignments. Distances between numerous proton pairs were deduced based on the NOE cross peak intensities and subsequently used as input into the distance geometry program for the 3D structure determination. The detailed 3D structure from the present NMR-based analysis was compared with the result from X-ray crystallographic study, which revealed greater conformational changes occur in benzimidazole group and sugar ring than in macrocyclic corrin and tetrapyrrole. In addition, the distance geometry used in this study was found to be quite useful for NMR-based structure determination of medium-sized molecules that give poor NOE effects arising from their intermediate tumbling rate ($\omega$$\tau$c 1.0).