At the crossroads of chemistry and immunology: catalytic antibodies.
Immunochemistry has historically focused on the nature of antigenicity and antibody-antigen recognition. However, in the last 5 years, the field of immunochemistry has taken a new direction. With the aid of mechanistic and synthetic chemistry, the vast network of molecules and cells of the immune system has been tapped to produce antibodies with a new function--catalytic antibodies. Because antibodies can be generated that selectively bind almost any molecule of interest, this new technology offers the potential to tailor-make highly selective catalysts for applications in biology, chemistry, and medicine. In addition, catalytic antibodies provide fundamental insight into important aspects of biological catalysis, including the importance of transition-state stabilization, proximity effects, general acid and base catalysts, electrophilic and nucleophilic catalysis, and strain.
Lerner
R A
RA
Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037.
Benkovic
S J
SJ
Schultz
P G
PG
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D002384:Catalysis; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D006241:Haptens; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008670:Metals; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013816:Thermodynamics; D015032:Zinc
D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens; D006241:Haptens; D008670:Metals; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015032:Zinc