Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Research Highlight
  • Published:

Antigen presentation

Mapping the maze

Nature Reviews Immunology volume 2, page 543 (2002)Cite this article

Gadola et al. developed an in vitro system for refolding denatured CD1B molecules in the presence of defined glycolipids. The complexes produced were cystallized and the structures analysed in detail. Compared with MHC class I, the binding groove of CD1B is a complex maze of interconnecting pockets and tunnels — three distinct pockets, named A′, C′ and F′, were defined, as well as a connecting tunnel, termed T′. CD1B can bind long lipid chains by accommodating alkyl chains of up to 70 carbons in length in a superchannel formed by the connection of A′, T′ and F′. The C′ pocket can accommodate shorter alkyl chains of ∼16 carbons. An exit portal for the C′ pocket, located below the α2 helix, indicates that longer chains might also be accommodated. These structures show how CD1B can adapt to bind lipid ligands of various sizes.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Gadola, S. D. et al. Structure of human CD1b with bound ligands at 2.3Å, a maze for alkyl chains. Nature Immunol. 2002 July 15 (DOI 10.1038/ni821)

FURTHER READING

  1. Moody, D. B. & Besra, G. S. Glycolipid targets of CD1-mediated T-cell responses. Immunology 104, 243–251 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Elaine Bell
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bell, E. Mapping the maze. Nat Rev Immunol 2, 543 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nri874

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nri874

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing