Strategies for mapping and imitating viral B-cell epitopes.
Identification of viral B-cell epitopes is of importance in the selection of peptides for inclusion into subunit vaccines, the development of virus-specific serological tests and understanding the interaction of antibodies with viruses at a molecular level. B-cell epitopes can often be determined unequivocally by X-ray analyses of antibody-antigen complexes. This technique is, however, time-consuming and alternative strategies have now been developed for identifying epitopes. This article provides an overview of approaches which are currently available for mapping and imitating B-cell epitopes.
Cason
J
J
Richard Dimbleby Laboratory for Cancer Virology, Rayne Institute, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray / Q000379:methods; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins