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Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Bond elasticity controls molecular recognition specificity in antibody-antigen binding

Anna Alemany, Nuria Sanvicens, Sara de Lorenzo, M.-Pilar Marco, and Felix Ritort
Force-spectroscopy experiments make it possible to characterize single ligand-receptor pairs. Here we measure the spectrum of bond strengths and flexibilities in antibody-antigen interactions using optical tweezers. We characterize the mechanical evolution of polyclonal antibodies generated under infection and the ability of a monoclonal antibody to cross-react against different antigens. Our results suggest that bond flexibility plays a major role in remodeling antibody-antigen bonds in order to improve recognition during the maturation of the humoral immune system.
DOI

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