Lecture 8 Flashcards
(45 cards)
What is the antigen binding site of an antibody made from?
the VH and VL domains
What is found within the VH and VL domains?
there are hypervariable regions (light and heavy chain)
- What are the hypervariable regions made up of?
- why is this important for antibody-antigen binding?
- o the amino acids found in these regions vary significantly from one antibody to another of the same isotype.
- The amino acids of the hypervariable region are the region that binds to the antigen
- How many hypervariable regions in an antibody molecule?
- Are they next to each other in a linear structure?
- 4-5 hypervariable regions
- not next to each other in linear structure
How is the antigen binding site generally formed if the hypervariable regions are not next to eachother?
When the protein is folded the hypervariable regions come together to form the antigen binding site.
Is there only one antigen binding site shape?
- vary in size and shape, for example they may have the shape of a:
- Groove
- Extended surface
Describe the antigen binding site of an Ig molecule, the structure and function
- Antigens bind to specific amino acids in the variable regions of the heavy and light chains.
- They typically bind in a region known as the hypervariable region of the antibody, which is where there is variability in the variable region of the amino acid sequence.
- The areas that have the highest variability are in the beta pleated sheets, and they all fold onto the ends of the region.
- This happens on both the heavy and light chains.
- The antigen actually only binds to very specific amino acids
Define antibody affinity
The affinity of the bond between antigen and antibody is the sum of the non-covalent forces
o Ionic
o Hydrogen
o Hydrophobic
o Van der Waals
regarding antibody affinity
- Which affinity would have the best fit?
best fits have higher affinity- more bound than unbound antibodies
What is affinity maturation
the progressive increase of affinity of antibody for an antigen as the immune response occurs; increases over time
The antibody in a primary response has lower or higher affinity than antibody in subsequent responses.
lower
low affinity antibodies will have more or less cross reactions?
more
What is a linear epitope?
Antibody binds to parts of the antigen that are adjacent to each other
T cells recognize linear or discontinuous epitopes on MHC molecules?
linear
What is a Discontinuous or conformational epitope
Parts of the antigen are brought together by folding (they are not adjacent linearly)
What happens if you denature the antigen and destroy its conformation if the antibody recognizes it by a conformational epitope?
antibody cannot bind (does not recognize the antigen)
3D structure of antigen is important for antibody to bind, not important for T cells because?
because antibody can bind to conformational epitopes, but T cells only bind linear epitopes
regarding a discontineous or conformational epitope
- If antibody is made to epitopes of a denatured protein and then the animal is exposed to the natural protein will the antibody recognize the natural protein antigen?
the antibody may not recognize the antigen because the natural conformation conceals the epitope the antibody would detect
What is the first antibody to respond?
IgM
Which antibody is the largest?
IgM
regarding IgM
- What is it secreted from?
- What is its shape?
- What is it held together by?
- How many epitopes?
- Secreted from plasma cells
- pentamer
- held together by J chains
- can bind 10 epitopes
regarding IgM
- What is it very good at and why?
- Does it leave the bloodstream or stay in it?
- good or bad at agglutinating bacteria?
- Because it is a pentamer it has many Fc regions and is very good at fixing compliment (it takes two Fc regions very close together to fix compliment)
- Stays mostly in the blood stream because it is too big to get out.
- Very good at agglutinating bacteria (because of a valence of ten)
regarding IgM
- does it have a short or long time in serum
- what is its half life in serum
- what % of total antibody in the serum is it
- short
- half-life 5 days
- 6%