Line shape analyses for water 17O NMR quintet observed in a bacteriophage Pf1 solution at different temperatures Original Research Article

Partially resolved 17O NMR quintet was observed in a filamentous bacteriophage Pf1 solution at 70 °C with a quadrupole splitting approximately 100 Hz. As the temperature decreased, the resolution was reduced but the line shapes were still indicative of residual quadrupole splitting. Line shape analyses were performed using the quadrupolar relaxation theory for spin 5/2. The contribution to the residual quadrupole splitting from the electric field gradients stemming from the phage filaments, which were oriented in the magnet, was taken into account. As a result, the observed 17O spectra at different temperatures were simulated and the hydration number of the phage DNA was determined.