structure and functions of antibody molecules
Answers
The amino acid sequence in the tips of the "Y" varies greatly among different antibodies. This variable region, composed of 110-130 amino acids, give the antibody its specificity for binding antigen. The variable region includes the ends of the light and heavy chains. Treating the antibody with a protease can cleave this region, producing Fab or fragment antigen binding that include the variable ends of an antibody. Material used for the studies shown below originated from Fab.
The constant region determines the mechanism used to destroy antigen. Antibodies are divided into five major classes, IgM, IgG, Iga, IgD, and IgE, based on their constant region structure and immune function.
The variable region is further subdivided into hypervariable (HV) and framework (FR) regions. Hypervariable regions have a high ratio of different amino acids in a given position, relative to the most common amino acid in that position. Within light and heavy chains, three hypervariable regions exist – HV 1, 2 and 3. Four FR regions which have more stable amino acids sequences separate the HV regions.
The HV regions directly contact a portion of the antigen's surface. For this reason, HV regions are also sometimes referred to as complementarity determining regions, or CDRs. The FR regions form a beta-sheet structure which serves as a scaffold to hold the HV regions in position to contact antigen.
Antibodies are immune system-related proteins called immunoglobulins. Each antibody consists of four polypeptides– two heavy chains and two light chains joined to form a "Y" shaped molecule.
The amino acid sequence in the tips of the "Y" varies greatly among different antibodies. This variable region, composed of 110-130 amino acids, give the antibody its specificity for binding antigen. The variable region includes the ends of the light and heavy chains. Treating the antibody with a protease can cleave this region, producing Fab or fragment antigen binding that include the variable ends of an antibody. Material used for the studies shown below originated from Fab.
The constant region determines the mechanism used to destroy antigen. Antibodies are divided into five major classes, IgM, IgG, Iga, IgD, and IgE, based on their constant region structure and immune function.
The variable region is further subdivided into hypervariable (HV) and framework (FR) regions. Hypervariable regions have a high ratio of different amino acids in a given position, relative to the most common amino acid in that position. Within light and heavy chains, three hypervariable regions exist – HV 1, 2 and 3. Four FR regions which have more stable amino acids sequences separate the HV regions.
The HV regions directly contact a portion of the antigen's surface. For this reason, HV regions are also sometimes referred to as complementarity determining regions, or CDRs. The FR regions form a beta-sheet structure which serves as a scaffold to hold the HV regions in position to contact antigen.