Symmetry of Fv architecture is conducive to grafting a second antibody binding site in the Fv region

Biophys J. 1996 Oct;71(4):2002-11. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(96)79398-0.

Abstract

Molecular modeling studies on antibody Fv regions have been pursued to design a second antigen-binding site (chi-site) in a chimeric single-chain Fv (chi sFv) species of about 30 kDa. This analysis has uncovered an architectural basis common to many Fv regions that permits grafting a chi-site onto the Fv surface that diametrically opposes the normal combining site. By using molecular graphics analysis, chimeric complementarity-determining regions (chi CDRs) were defined that comprised most of the CDRs from an antibody binding site of interest. The chain directionality of chi CDRs was consistent with that of specific bottom loops of the sFv, which allowed for grafting of chi CDRs with an overall geometry approximating CDRs in the parent combining site. Analysis of 10 different Fv crystal structures indicates that the positions for inserting chi CDRs are very highly conserved, as are the corresponding chi CDR boundaries in the parent binding site. The results of this investigation suggest that it should be possible to generally apply this approach to the development of chimeric bispecific antibody binding site (chi BABS) proteins.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antibodies, Bispecific / chemistry
  • Antigens
  • Binding Sites, Antibody
  • Computer Graphics
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / chemistry
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments / chemistry*
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Weight
  • Protein Structure, Secondary*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bispecific
  • Antigens
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • immunoglobulin Fv