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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I molecules selectively bind peptides for presentation to cytotoxic T cells. The peptide-free state of these molecules is not well understood. Here, we characterize a disulfide-stabilized version of the human class I molecule HLA-A*02:01 that is stable in the absence of peptide and can readily exchange cognate peptides. We present X-ray crystal structures of the peptide-free state of HLA-A*02:01, together with structures that have dipeptides bound in the A and F pockets. These structural snapshots reveal that the amino acid side chains lining the binding pockets switch in a coordinated fashion between a peptide-free unlocked state and a peptide-bound locked state. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the opening and closing of the F pocket affects peptide ligand conformations in adjacent binding pockets. We propose that peptide binding is co-determined by synergy between the binding pockets of the MHC molecule.

Structures of peptide-free and partially loaded MHC class I molecules reveal mechanisms of peptide selection.,Anjanappa R, Garcia-Alai M, Kopicki JD, Lockhauserbaumer J, Aboelmagd M, Hinrichs J, Nemtanu IM, Uetrecht C, Zacharias M, Springer S, Meijers R Nat Commun. 2020 Mar 11;11(1):1314. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-14862-4. PMID:32161266^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.