title: Antibody recognition of a neutralization epitope on the major outer membrane protein of Chlamydia trachomatis.
abstract: Two BALB/c mice were immunized with serovar C Chlamydia trachomatis elementary bodies, and 63 hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies to C. trachomatis were recovered. Eight hybridomas which were specific for an identical peptide epitope (AGLQND) in serovar C major outer membrane protein variable domain I were identified. Detailed immunochemical study of the antigen-antibody interaction and genetic characterization of the antibody variable-region gene sequences showed that distinct B-cell clonal lineages were elicited by the epitope sequence. Since each antibody had a distinct pattern of fine specificity for recognition of the epitope and displayed different degrees of cross-reactivity with a related serovar (serovar A), we conclude that B-cell recognition of an immunodominant neutralization epitope can be pleiotropic. Differences in B-cell recognition of a neutralization epitope may delay the emergence by mutation of antigenic-drift variants of the C. trachomatis major outer membrane protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brunham
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region