title: Not only immunoglobulins, C-reactive protein too.
abstract: The purpose of this letter is to expand a discussion, published recently in Molecular Immunology, on the post-secretion gain of function by immunoglobulins. It was reported that some circulating IgG molecules in all healthy individuals acquire novel antigen-binding specificity after exposure to conditions that change protein conformation, such as acidic pH. Another protein, C-reactive protein, also acquires novel ligand-binding specificity post-secretion after a switch from its native pentameric conformation to non-native pentameric conformation. Thus, that the functions of a protein depend upon its alternate structural states, and therefore on the surrounding milieu, is a more general phenomenon for some ancient molecules of the immune system than previously thought.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, P.O. Box 70577, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA. Electronic address: agrawal@etsu.edu.
authors.forename: Alok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agrawal
mesh_terms: D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000276:immunology; D011487:Protein Conformation; D058767:Protein Unfolding
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: C-reactive protein; Immunoglobulins