# Core 1 - NMR

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2021 · $476,074

## Abstract

Core 1: NMR
Summary
The NMR Core includes investigators at 6 institutions who are developing isotopically labeled ribonucleoside
triphosphate (rNTPs) reagents and RNA labeling methodologies (Dayie, Williamson), and NMR data
acquisition/assignment methodologies (Al-Hashimi, Summers, Marchant, Tolbert, Dayie, Johnson, Bax), to
facilitate NMR studies of large RNAs. The NMR Core also interacts extensively with the Case and Johnson
labs of the Computational Core, and with the Chiu, Zheng, and Pornillos labs of the cryoEM Core, to facilitate
development of hybrid methodologies and force fields that enable structural and dynamical studies of larger
HIV RNAs. Hybrid NMR/SAXS methods are also being developed and evaluated (Tolbert, Case, Dayie). The
NMR Core also provides screening services to assist CRNA members in the identification of viable new RNA
targets for structural analysis, and to support efforts by Hargrove to identify RNA-targeting antivirals. Over the
past four years, the NMR Core has contributed to several technical innovations and discoveries including: (1)
development of a novel fragmentation/annealing-based approach (fr-RNA) for detection and signal assignment
of long-range secondary structures; (2) development of improved nucleotide-specific partial deuteration
strategies (2H-editing) for NMR signal assignment; (3) development of improved methods detecting and
preventing self-templated run-on during T7 RNA polymerase dependent synthesis; (4) development of a novel
NMR method for unambiguous identification of intermolecular base pairing in large RNAs; (5) development of a
novel NMR/mutagenesis method for measuring the rate of formation of intermolecular base pairs; (6)
development of new tools for predicting and validating 1H NMR signal assignments by analysis of depositions
in the BioMagResBank database; (7) contributed to the development of a new software package for rapid NMR
data processing, and semi-automated RNA signal assignment; (8) development of new pulse sequences for
rapid collection of isotopically edited RNA NMR spectra; and for the measurement and characterization of
micro-to-millisecond conformational exchange in RNA; (9) development of new 2H, 13C, and 15N-labeled
reagents to facilitate structural and dynamical studies of large RNAs; and (10) conducted service work for
members of the CRNA (Beemon, Bieniasz, Hargrove, Boris-Lawrie, Parent, Heng), as well as for other NIH
funded centers (James Hurley, HARC, Berkeley), several of which led to new structural projects. The NMR
Core will continue to push the size limits of NMR and will support studies of new protein and RNA targets
identified by the CRNA and other NIH funded groups. The methodological innovations that have been
developed are generally applicable to the rapidly expanding field of RNA structural biology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10245108
- **Project number:** 5U54AI150470-10
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHAEL FINLEY SUMMERS
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $476,074
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2012-09-17 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10245108

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10245108, Core 1 - NMR (5U54AI150470-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10245108. Licensed CC0.

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