Abstract
Benzo[a]pyrene, which is produced during the incomplete combustion of organic material, is an abundant noxious pollutant because of its carcinogenic metabolic degradation products. The high-affinity (KD ≈3 nm) monoclonal antibody 22F12 allows facile bioanalytical quantification of benzo[a]pyrene even in complex matrices. We report the functional and X-ray crystallographic analysis of 22F12 in complex with 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene after cloning of the V-genes and production as a recombinant Fab fragment. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon is bound in a deep pocket between the light and heavy chains, surrounded mainly by aromatic and aliphatic amino acid side chains. Interestingly, the hapten-antibody interface is less densely packed than expected and reveals polar, H-bond-like interactions with the polycyclic aromatic π-electron system, which may allow the antibody to maintain a large, predominantly hydrophobic binding site in an aqueous environment while providing sufficient complementarity to its ligand.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
