Physiological dynamic structures of nucleic acids in A. espejiana cells detected on 1H-31P cross-polarization NMR.

In order to obtain information of the supramolecular structures of nucleic acids in vivo, the 1H-31P cross-polarization NMR technique was applied to intact marine bacterial cells. An asymmetric powder pattern spectrum of nucleic acids in the cell was observed. The major contributor to the spectrum was ribosomes. Furthermore, the powder pattern changed dramatically with the physiological conditions of the cells. The results showed that this is a promising method for the investigation of the supramolecular structures of nucleic acids in vivo.