Epitopes
From Proteopedia
(→Terminology - polishing) |
(adding content) |
||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
===T Lymphocyte Epitopes=== | ===T Lymphocyte Epitopes=== | ||
| - | It is unfortunate that ''epitope'' has caught on as the term to describe the peptide fragments that T cells recognize, since these are not necessarily derived from the surfaces of protein antigens, but may be derived from portions that were buried in the folded protein. While the perhaps better terms ''cryptotope'' and ''unfoldon'' are never used, they illustrate the point. | + | It is unfortunate that ''epitope'' has caught on as the term to describe the peptide fragments that T cells recognize, since these are not necessarily derived from the surfaces of protein antigens, but may be derived from portions that were buried in the folded protein. While the perhaps better terms ''cryptotope'' and ''unfoldon'' are almost never used, they illustrate the point. |
| + | |||
| + | ==Characteristics== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Antibody epitopes can be made up of '''discontinuous''' portions of a protein antigen's sequence, or of a continuous portion. In contrast, T cell epitopes always represent a '''continuous''' fragment of the sequence of a protein antigen. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Antibody epitopes can occur on the surfaces of natively folded proteins, or equally well on denatured conformations of proteins. Peptides, sometimes too short to have a well-defined fold, can bind to antibodies. T cell epitopes are always peptide fragments, and hence, represent a denatured (unfolded) form of the native protein. | ||
==References and Notes== | ==References and Notes== | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
Revision as of 00:52, 30 May 2009
An epitope is the portion of the surface of an antigen that binds to an antibody, or the peptide fragment of a protein antigen that binds to the T lymphocyte antigen receptor when presented by the cognate major histocompatibility protein. The best way to identify an antibody epitope is from a crystal structure of the antibody:antigen complex, where the contacts are evident. There are several servers that attempt to predict epitopes.
Contents |
Terminology
Antibody Epitopes
Antibody epitopes may also be called determinants, which is an historically earlier but equally good term. The term epitope implies that the determinant is on the surface of the antigen ("epi").
T Lymphocyte Epitopes
It is unfortunate that epitope has caught on as the term to describe the peptide fragments that T cells recognize, since these are not necessarily derived from the surfaces of protein antigens, but may be derived from portions that were buried in the folded protein. While the perhaps better terms cryptotope and unfoldon are almost never used, they illustrate the point.
Characteristics
Antibody epitopes can be made up of discontinuous portions of a protein antigen's sequence, or of a continuous portion. In contrast, T cell epitopes always represent a continuous fragment of the sequence of a protein antigen.
Antibody epitopes can occur on the surfaces of natively folded proteins, or equally well on denatured conformations of proteins. Peptides, sometimes too short to have a well-defined fold, can bind to antibodies. T cell epitopes are always peptide fragments, and hence, represent a denatured (unfolded) form of the native protein.
