NMR Spectroscopy to Study the Dynamics and Interactions of CFTR

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a multi-domain membrane chloride channel whose activity is regulated by ATP at two nucleotide-binding domains (NBD1 and NBD2) and by phosphorylation of the regulatory (R) region. The NBDs and the R region have functionally relevant motions that are critical for channel gating. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a highly useful technique for obtaining information on the structure and interactions of CFTR and is extremely powerful for probing dynamics. NMR approaches for studying CFTR are reviewed, using our previous NBD1 and the R region results to provide examples. These NMR data are yielding insights into the dynamic properties and interactions that facilitate normal CFTR regulation as well as pathological effects of mutations, including the most common disease mutant, deletion of F508 in NBD1.