title: The targets and genes for antibodies to Z-DNA.
abstract: Antibodies to Z-DNA serve as models for recognition of nucleic acid structure by proteins that use peptide loops rather than helix-loop-helix, zinc-finger or other recurrent motifs for DNA binding. Anti-Z-DNA antibodies have been elicited in rabbits, mice and goats by injection of brominated poly(dG-dC), a stable form of Z-DNA. Detailed studies of two mouse monoclonal antibodies to Z-DNA, Z22 and Z44, have been reported. Epitopes on Z-DNA have been mapped by both serological reactions and n.m.r. spectroscopy. Antibodies Z22 and Z44 recognize different sites on the Z-DNA. They are both encoded by members of the VH10 gene family, which also encodes known autoantibodies to DNA. Vectors for bacterial expression of single-chain Fv molecules have been used to determine the importance of specific H- and L-chain combinations and particular CDR3 sequences for Z-DNA binding. Changes in the H-chain CDR3 cause a decrease in the highly selective Z-DNA binding and an increase in autoantibody-like binding of B-DNA and single-stranded DNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polymenis
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Brigido
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Sanford
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Stollar
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA