¹⁵N, ¹³C and ¹H resonance assignments and secondary structure determination of a variable heavy domain of a heavy chain antibody

Biomol NMR Assign. 2014 Apr;8(1):113-6. doi: 10.1007/s12104-013-9464-8. Epub 2013 Jan 29.

Abstract

Heavy chain antibodies differ in structure to conventional antibodies lacking both the light chain and the first heavy chain constant domain (CH1). Characteristics of the antigen-binding variable heavy domain of the heavy chain antibody (VHH) including the smaller size, high solubility and stability make them an attractive alternative to more traditional antibody fragments for detailed NMR-based structural analysis. Here we report essentially complete backbone and side chain (15)N, (13)C and (1)H assignments for a free VHH. Analysis of the backbone chemical shift data obtained indicates that the VHH is comprised predominantly of β-sheets corresponding to nearly 60% of the protein backbone.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies / chemistry*
  • Camelus
  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Hydrogen
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / chemistry*
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region / chemistry*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nitrogen Isotopes
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Nitrogen Isotopes
  • Hydrogen