Correlation between segmental mobility and the location of antigenic determinants in proteins

Nature. 1984 Sep;311(5982):123-6. doi: 10.1038/311123a0.

Abstract

Most continuous antigenic determinants of tobacco mosaic virus protein (TMVP), myoglobin and lysozyme correspond to those surface regions in the protein structure, as determined by X-ray crystallography, which possess a run of high-temperature factors along the polypeptide backbone, that is, a high segmental mobility. The mobility of an antigenic determinant may make it easier to adjust to a pre-existing antibody site not fashioned to fit the exact geometry of a protein. The correlation found between temperature factors and antigenicity is better than that between hydrophilicity and antigenicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Viral / immunology
  • Epitopes*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Motion
  • Muramidase / immunology
  • Myoglobin / immunology
  • Protein Conformation
  • Proteins / immunology*
  • Tobacco Mosaic Virus / immunology
  • Viral Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • Epitopes
  • Myoglobin
  • Proteins
  • Viral Proteins
  • Muramidase