Question

How are antibodies unique? Please discuss the structure of an antibody. What are the V and C regions? Discuss how the few hundred genes involved are capable of making endless amounts of antibodies. Besides medical treatment what is another way antibodies can be used?

Answer 1

1) Antibodies are very much specific in binding to the antigens.

2) The antibodies contain speicifc domains in their structure called the V and C regions . The V region or the variable region of the antibody have amino acid sequences that helps in recognizing the antigen and binds to them. The varibale region contains variable amino acid sequences that allow flexible binding of the antibody paratope to the antigen epitope. The C or the constant region extends to the Fab arm of the antibody molecule facilitating interaction with the antigen and increasing the maximum rotation of the Fab arms

3)  

4) In germ line DNA, each of the multigene families contain several coding sequences called gene segments that are rearranged and brought together during B cell maturation to form functional immunoglobin or antibody molecules. The light chain families , V , J and C gene segments are present and the VJ segments encode the variable region. The heavy chain family contains the V,D,J and C gene segments; the VDJ segments are rearranged and encode the variable region of the heavy chain. The C gene encodes the constant regions. The signal or Leader peptde guides the heavy or light chain until the nascent antibody molecule is formed. After gene rerrangements occur, the RNA polymerase transcribes the entire genes and generate mRNAs. The mRNAs are then translated and recombined and rejoined by the various enzymes and form the heavy and light chains of the antibody molecules.

5) Apart from medical treatment, antibodies can be used in diagnosis like for ELISA , industrial production for various chemicals used in treatment, in academic purposes to detect any particular protein by tagging the antibodies etc.