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Publication Abstract from PubMed

HLA-DR molecules bind microbial peptides in an endosomal compartment and present them on the cell surface for CD4 T cell surveillance. HLA-DM plays a critical role in the endosomal peptide selection process. The structure of the HLA-DM-HLA-DR complex shows major rearrangements of the HLA-DR peptide-binding groove. Flipping of a tryptophan away from the HLA-DR1 P1 pocket enables major conformational changes that position hydrophobic HLA-DR residues into the P1 pocket. These conformational changes accelerate peptide dissociation and stabilize the empty HLA-DR peptide-binding groove. Initially, incoming peptides have access to only part of the HLA-DR groove and need to compete with HLA-DR residues for access to the P2 site and the hydrophobic P1 pocket. This energetic barrier creates a rapid and stringent selection process for the highest-affinity binders. Insertion of peptide residues into the P2 and P1 sites reverses the conformational changes, terminating selection through DM dissociation.

Crystal Structure of the HLA-DM-HLA-DR1 Complex Defines Mechanisms for Rapid Peptide Selection.,Pos W, Sethi DK, Call MJ, Schulze MS, Anders AK, Pyrdol J, Wucherpfennig KW Cell. 2012 Dec 21;151(7):1557-68. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.11.025. PMID:23260142^[4]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.