title: Binding motifs predict major histocompatibility complex class II-restricted epitopes in the Sendai virus M protein.
abstract: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I ligand motifs have been defined for a number of class I molecules and have been successfully used to identify class I-restricted cytotoxic T-cell epitopes. In contrast, the relative degeneracy of sequence motifs in naturally processed MHC class II ligands has suggested that they may be of more limited use. Here, we use a predicted I-Ab ligand motif to identify antigenic peptides in the Sendai virus Enders strain matrix (M) protein. The entire coding sequence of the M protein was derived, and seven peptide sequences that contained the predicted I-Ab motif were identified. Analysis of I-Ab-restricted M-specific T-cell hybridomas for reactivity to these synthetic peptides identified two distinct epitopes. These data demonstrate that MHC class II motifs can be valuable in predicting T-cell epitopes.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006825:Hybridomas; D007739:L Cells; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010222:Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C097020:M protein, Sendai virus; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins