Immunochemistry of scorpion toxins. Synthesis and antigenic properties of a model of a loop region specific to alpha-toxins.
A region of the toxin II of the scorpion Androctonus australis Hector, possessing a loop structure, is shown to be antigenic. Some clear hints for the probable antigenic character of this region were obtained by the protruding properties of the loop region, as assessed by accessibility computations using atomic coordinates of the toxin and Lee-Richards algorithm. A synthetic replica of the loop region was obtained in a linear and cyclised form. Within the total anti-toxin antibody population, we have found and isolated those that recognize the model peptides. A high affinity binding of these specific antibodies to the parent toxin was demonstrated, affording experimental evidence for the antigenic properties of the loop region.
Fourquet
P
P
Biochemistry Laboratory, U.D.C., INSERM U 172, CNRS UA 1179, Marseilles, France.
Bahraoui
E
E
Fontecilla-Camps
J C
JC
Van Rietschoten
J
J
Rochat
H
H
Granier
C
C
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D000939:Epitopes; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000276:immunology*
D000939:Epitopes; D009842:Oligopeptides; D012604:Scorpion Venoms