Download MendeleyMAIT Recognition of a Stimulatory Bacterial Antigen Bound to MR1.
Lopez-Sagaseta, J., Dulberger, C.L., McFedries, A., Cushman, M., Saghatelian, A., Adams, E.J.(2013) J Immunol 191: 5268-5277
- PubMed: 24108697
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1301958
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
4L8S, 4L9L, 4LCC - PubMed Abstract:
MR1-restricted mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells represent a subpopulation of αβ T cells with innate-like properties and limited TCR diversity. MAIT cells are of interest because of their reactivity against bacterial and yeast species, suggesting that they play a role in defense against pathogenic microbes. Despite the advances in understanding MAIT cell biology, the molecular and structural basis behind their ability to detect MR1-Ag complexes is unclear. In this study, we present our structural and biochemical characterization of MAIT TCR engagement of MR1 presenting an Escherichia coli-derived stimulatory ligand, rRL-6-CH2OH, previously found in Salmonella typhimurium. We show a clear enhancement of MAIT TCR binding to MR1 due to the presentation of this ligand. Our structure of a MAIT TCR/MR1/rRL-6-CH2OH complex shows an evolutionarily conserved binding orientation, with a clear role for both the CDR3α and CDR3β loops in recognizing the rRL-6-CH2OH stimulatory ligand. We also present two additional xenoreactive MAIT TCR/MR1 complexes that recapitulate the docking orientation documented previously, despite having variation in the CDR2β and CDR3β loop sequences. Our data support a model by which MAIT TCRs engage MR1 in a conserved fashion, with their binding affinities modulated by the nature of the MR1-presented Ag or diversity introduced by alternate Vβ usage or CDR3β sequences.
Organizational Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637;
