Beta-Edge Interactions in a Pentadecameric Human Antibody Vkappa Domain.
James, L.C., Jones, P.C., Mccoy, A., Tennent, G.A., Pepys, M.B., Famm, K., Winter, G.(2007) J Mol Biol 367: 603
- PubMed: 17292396 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmb.2006.10.093
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
2BX5 - PubMed Abstract: 
Antibodies are the archetypal molecules of the Ig-fold superfamily. Their highly conserved beta-sheet architecture has evolved to avoid aggregation by protecting edge strands. However, the crystal structure of a human V kappa domain described here, reveals an exposed beta-edge strand which mediates assembly of a helical pentadecameric oligomer. This edge strand is highly conserved in V kappa domains but is both shortened and capped by the use of two sequential trans-proline residues in V lambda domains. We suggest that the exposure of this beta-edge in V kappa domains may explain why light-chain deposition disease is mediated predominantly by kappa antibodies.
Organizational Affiliation: 
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QH, UK. lcj@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk