Simplifying DNA NMR spectroscopy by silencing GH8 and AH8 resonances

NMR studies of DNA oligonucleotides are limited by extensive resonance overlap and the availability of isotopically labeled samples. We have explored a nondestructive and economical method to simplify DNA NMR spectroscopy by exchanging the hydrogens of GH8 and AH8 with deuterons. Exchanging these hydrogens with deuterons results in spectral simplification and alleviates spectral overlap particularly for A and G rich sequences and is therefore uniquely suited for G-quadruplex sequences. The silencing of the GH8 and AH8 signals facilitates structural and ligand DNA binding studies.