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  • SLIM: A Short‐Linked, Highl...
    Fleck, Nico; Heubach, Caspar A.; Hett, Tobias; Haege, Florian R.; Bawol, Pawel P.; Baltruschat, Helmut; Schiemann, Olav

    Angewandte Chemie International Edition, June 8, 2020, Volume: 59, Issue: 24
    Journal Article

    The understanding of biomolecular function is coupled to knowledge about the structure and dynamics of these biomolecules, preferably acquired under native conditions. In this regard, pulsed dipolar EPR spectroscopy (PDS) in conjunction with site‐directed spin labeling (SDSL) is an important method in the toolbox of biophysical chemistry. However, the currently available spin labels have diverse deficiencies for in‐cell applications, for example, low radical stability or long bioconjugation linkers. In this work, a synthesis strategy is introduced for the derivatization of trityl radicals with a maleimide‐functionalized methylene group. The resulting trityl spin label, called SLIM, yields narrow distance distributions, enables highly sensitive distance measurements down to concentrations of 90 nm, and shows high stability against reduction. Using this label, the guanine‐nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI) domain of Yersinia outer protein O (YopO) is shown to change its conformation within eukaryotic cells. SLIM fit: A trityl label with a short linker and high reduction stability, called SLIM, was synthesized. It enables highly sensitive pulsed dipolar EPR measurements down to low nanomolar concentrations and yields narrow distance distributions. Its exemplary use in in‐cell measurements showed that YopO preferably adopts one of the two conformations found in vitro.