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MHC class I recognition by Ly49 natural killer cell receptors
Kannan Natarajan1, Nazzareno Dimasi, Jian Wang
1Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1892, USA.
Abstract:
Natural killer (NK) cell function is regulated by NK receptors that bind either classical MHC class I (MHC-I) molecules or their structural relatives (MICA, RAE-1 and H-60). Two distinct families of NK receptors have been identified: the C-type lectin-like family (Ly49, NKG2D and CD94/NKG2) and the immunoglobulin-like family (KIRs and LIRs). Here, we describe the crystal structure of the C-type lectin-like NK receptor (Ly49A), bound to its MHC-I ligand (H-2D(d)). We also discuss results from recent mutagenesis studies of the Ly49A/H-2D(d) interaction in the context of the complex structure.