Biomolecular NMR: recent advances in liquids, solids and screening

The past year has witnessed significant advances in NMR analysis of bio-mac romolecules from a broad array of disciplines. First, great progress in the development of methods for measuring residual dipolar couplings in nematic media promises to increase both the size of systems to be studied and the accuracy with which structures can be determined. Second, the ability of so lid-state NMR to provide structural information on biological systems is un dergoing rapid expansion as a result of recent developments. The structural details that can be derived for biomolecules in the liquid and solid state s can be used for the rational design of high-affinity ligands. Such studie s are now complemented by NMR screening of synthetic and natural molecular libraries. Several NMR screening protocols have been designed that employ b oth rational and random elements.