In structural biology, some molecules are so unusual they can only be captured with a unique set of tools. That’s precisely how a multi-institutional research team led by Salk scientists defined how antibodies can recognize a compound called phosphohistidine — a highly unstable molecule that has been found to play a central role in some forms of cancer, such as liver and breast cancer and neuroblastoma.
These insights not only set up the researchers for more advanced studies on phosphohistidine and its potential role in cancer, but will also enable scientists to manipulate the shape and atomic makeup of the antibodies’ binding sites in order to design ever more efficient antibodies in the future. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on February 5.
“We are excited that these new antibody structures reveal novel principles of antigen binding….
