Crystallization of the Fab fragments of anti-peptide monoclonal antibodies and a complex with peptide.

The antigen-binding fragments of four monoclonal antibodies that cross-react with both the "loop" peptide of hen egg-white lysozyme (residues 57 to 84) against which they were raised, and with the native protein (HEL) have been crystallized. One of these fragments also crystallizes as a complex with the peptide antigen.

Antigen mobility in the combining site of an anti-peptide antibody.

The interaction between a high-affinity antibody, raised against a peptide incorporating the loop region of hen egg lysozyme (residues 57-84), and a peptide antigen corresponding to this sequence, has been probed by proton NMR. The two-dimensional correlated spectroscopy spectrum of the antibody-antigen complex shows sharp, well-resolved resonances from at least half of the bound peptide residues, indicating that the peptide retains considerable mobility when bound to the antibody. The strongly immobilized residues (which include Arg-61, Trp-62, Trp-63, and Ile-78) do not correspond to a contiguous region in the sequence of the peptide. Examination of the crystal structure of the protein shows that these residues, although remote in sequence, are grouped together in the protein structure, forming a hydrophobic projection on the surface of the molecule. The antibody binds hen egg lysozyme with only a 10-fold lower affinity than the peptide antigen. We propose that the peptide could bind to the antibody in a conformation that brings these groups together in a manner related to that found in the native protein, accounting for the high crossreactivity.

Engineering antibody affinity and specificity.

A combination of ab initio calculations, "knowledge-based prediction", molecular graphics and site-directed mutagenesis has enabled us to probe the molecular details of antibody:antigen recognition and binding and to alter the affinity and specificity of an antibody for its antigen. The significance of electrostatic hydrogen bonding, hydrophilic/hydrophobic patch matching and van der Waals interactions as well as CDR:CDR interactions are discussed in relation to the results of site-directed mutagenesis experiments on the anti-lysozyme antibody Gloop2. The ability to generate reconstructed antibodies, chimeric antibodies, catalytic antibodies and the use of modelled antibodies for the design of drugs is discussed.

Differential phosphorylation of the progesterone receptor by insulin, epidermal growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor tyrosine protein kinases.

Purified preparations of insulin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors were compared for their abilities to phosphorylate purified hen oviduct progesterone receptors. The specific activities of all three peptide hormone-induced receptor kinases were first defined using a synthetic tridecapeptide tyrosine protein kinase substrate. Next, equivalent ligand-activated activities of the three receptor kinases were tested for their abilities to phosphorylate hen oviduct progesterone receptor. Both the insulin and EGF receptors phosphorylated progesterone receptor at high affinity, exclusively at tyrosine residues and with maximal stoichiometries that were near unity. In contrast, the PDGF receptor did not recognize progesterone receptor as a substrate. Insulin decreased the Km of the insulin receptor for progesterone receptor subunits as substrates, but had no significant effect on Vmax values. On the other hand, EGF increased the Vmax of the EGF receptor for progesterone receptor subunits as substrates. Phosphorylation of progesterone receptor by the insulin and EGF receptor kinases differed in two additional ways. 1) EGF-activated receptor phosphorylated the 80- and 105-kDa progesterone receptor subunits to an equal extent, whereas insulin-activated receptor preferentially phosphorylated the 80-kDa subunit. 2) Phosphopeptide fingerprinting analyses revealed that while insulin and EGF receptors phosphorylated one identical major site on both progesterone receptor subunits, they differed in their specificities for other sites.

Binding of the chicken oviduct progesterone receptor to steroid affinity resins: resistance to elution with mercurial reagents.

Mercurial reagents rapidly and reversibly dissociated purified chick oviduct progesterone receptor-hormone complex in solution. However, batchwise incubation of steroid affinity resin-receptor complex with organic mercurials or HgCl2 resulted in release of less than 10% of the adsorbed hormone binding activity. Limited treatment of the affinity resin-receptor complex with mercurials did not reduce the amount of receptor that could be eluted by subsequent incubation with progesterone. Continuous flow elution with HgCl2 increased the percentage of receptor recovered; however, the major fraction remained resistant to mercurial treatment and was recovered upon subsequent elution with steroid. After purification by affinity chromatography, the mercurial-treated receptor, but not the hormone-receptor complex, bound to steroid affinity resin in a biospecific manner. Thus the effect of mercurials on hormone binding is more complex than deduced from studies performed on receptor in solution. The progesterone receptor may contain a second, low-affinity hormone binding site that is insensitive to mercurials. Alternatively, mercurials may not block hormone binding completely, but rather reduce the affinity so that binding can only be detected at high concentrations of hormone such as are present within the steroid affinity resin.

Progesterone receptor subunits are high-affinity substrates for phosphorylation by epidermal growth factor receptor.

Purified preparations of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor were used to test hen oviduct progesterone receptor subunits as substrates for phosphorylation catalyzed by EGF receptor. Both the 80-kilodalton (kDa) (A) and the 105-kDa (B) progesterone receptor subunits were phosphorylated in a reaction that required EGF and EGF receptor. No phosphorylation of progesterone receptor subunits was observed in the absence of EGF receptor, even when Ca2+ was substituted for Mg2+ and Mn2+. Phospho amino acid analysis revealed phosphorylation at tyrosine residues, with no phosphorylation detectable at serine or threonine residues. Two-dimensional maps of phosphopeptides generated from phosphorylated 80- or 105-kDa subunits by tryptic digestion revealed similar patterns, with resolution of two major, several minor, and a number of very minor phosphopeptides. The Km of progesterone receptor for phosphorylation by EGF-activated EGF receptor was 100 nM and the Vmax was 2.5 nmol/min per mg of EGF receptor protein at 0 degrees C. The stoichiometry of phosphorylation/hormone binding for progesterone receptor subunits was 0.31 at ice-bath temperature and approximately 1.0 at 22 degrees C.

Resolution of the effects of sulfhydryl-blocking reagents on hormone- and DNA-binding activities of the chick oviduct progesterone receptor.

The differential effects of sulfhydryl (SH)-blocking agents on hormone and DNA binding by the chick oviduct progesterone receptor were investigated. Previous studies have demonstrated inhibition of steroid-receptor interaction by SH-blocking agents and protection against inhibition by bound hormone. The present results indicate that the SH group required for steroid binding is within or near the hormone-binding site itself, and that a second SH group (or groups) is involved in the binding of receptor to DNA. Three findings relate to the site of action of SH-blocking agents on hormone binding. First, glycerol decreased the rate of hormone dissociation and the rate of hormone displacement by mercurial reagents by 75 to 90%. Second, mercurial reagents displaced [3H]progesterone bound to the mero-receptor, a Mr 23,000 proteolytic fragment containing the hormone-binding site, but not the site of interaction with DNA. Third, hormone displacement was still present after a 10,000-fold purification of the progesterone receptor. Mercurial reagents also inhibited binding of progesterone receptor to DNA, whereas the SH-alkylating agents N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetamide had no effect. It is likely that distinct sulfhydryl groups are required for steroid receptor interaction with hormone and with DNA, since brief treatment with mercurial reagents blocked DNA binding, but caused only a slight displacement of bound hormone. The SH group required for hormone binding probably lies within or near the hormone-binding site, is sensitive to mercurials, alkylating agents, and 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) (DTNB), and is protected by bound hormone. The SH group required for DNA binding, in contrast, is sensitive to mercurials but not to alkylating agents, is only partially sensitive to DTNB, and is not protected by bound hormone.