title: Antibody-combining sites. Extending the natural limits.
abstract: The antibody repertoire is very large with at least 10(9) different antibody specificities, yet there are currently only 800 variable-region sequences known and < 23 Fab structures deposited with the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank. To engineer the antibody-combining site rationally, we need to define the rules that govern antibody structure. To understand the process of antibody-antigen recognition, we need not only to predict complementary determining regions accurately, but to simulate accurately the interaction of antibody with antigen. We have made progress in the modeling of antibody-combining sites and in the simulation of antibody complex formation. The combination of these approaches will allow us to extend the natural limits of antibody-combining sites in a more rational manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, UK.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Staunton
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Rees
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation; D015202:Protein Engineering
chemical_list: D008670:Metals