Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Optimized Negative Staining: a High-throughput Protocol for Examining Small and Asymmetric Protein Structure by Electron Microscopy
09:37

Optimized Negative Staining: a High-throughput Protocol for Examining Small and Asymmetric Protein Structure by Electron Microscopy

Published on: August 15, 2014

44.8K

IgG Antibody 3D Structures and Dynamics

Jacob White Jay1, Brinkley Bray2, Yaozhi Qi3,4

  • 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA 31404, USA. Jacob.White.Jay@live.mercer.edu.

Antibodies (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 24, 2019
PubMed

Antibodies are vital for human health because of their ability to function as nature's drugs by protecting the body from infection. In recent decades, antibodies have been used as pharmaceutics for targeted therapy in patients with cancer, autoimmune diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Capturing the dynamic structure of antibodies and characterizing antibody fluctuation is critical for gaining a deeper understanding of their structural characteristics and for improving drug development. Current techniques for studying three-dimensional (3D) structural heterogeneity and variability of proteins have limitations in ascertaining the dynamic structural behavior of antibodies and antibody-antigen complexes. Here, we review current techniques used to study antibody structures with a focus on the recently developed individual-particle electron tomography (IPET) technique. IPET, as a particle-by-particle methodology for 3D structural characterization, has shown advantages in studying structural variety and conformational changes of antibodies, providing direct imaging data for biomolecular engineering to improve development and clinical application of synthetic antibodies.

Keywords:
3D structure of IgGIPETantibody dynamicsantibody engineeringantibody structurebispecific antibodyelectron tomographyhomodimer antibodyindividual-particle 3D imageindividual-particle electron tomographysingle molecule 3D imagestructure of bispecific IgG1

More Related Videos

Characterization of Glycoproteins with the Immunoglobulin Fold by X-Ray Crystallography and Biophysical Techniques08:58

Characterization of Glycoproteins with the Immunoglobulin Fold by X-Ray Crystallography and Biophysical Techniques

Published on: July 5, 2018

13.1K
Assessment of Immunologically Relevant Dynamic Tertiary Structural Features of the HIV-1 V3 Loop Crown R2 Sequence by ab initio Folding10:50

Assessment of Immunologically Relevant Dynamic Tertiary Structural Features of the HIV-1 V3 Loop Crown R2 Sequence by ab initio Folding

Published on: September 15, 2010

9.9K

Related Concept Videos

Antibody Structure01:10

Antibody Structure

Overview
Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins (Ig), are essential players of the adaptive immune system. These antigen-binding proteins are produced by B cells and make up 20 percent of the total blood plasma by weight. In mammals, antibodies fall into five different classes, which each elicits a different biological response upon antigen binding.
The Y-Shaped Structure of Antibodies Consists of Four Polypeptide Chains
Antibodies consist of four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy...
65.4K
Antibody Structure and Classes01:25

Antibody Structure and Classes

Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are produced by B cells in response to foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses. These proteins are critical for recognizing and neutralizing these substances, protecting the body from potential harm.
The basic structure of an antibody consists of four protein chains: two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains. These chains are held together by disulfide bonds and other non-covalent interactions, forming a Y-shaped structure.
8.4K
Gene Families01:57

Gene Families

Gene families consist of groups of genes proposed to have originated from a common ancestor. Typically these arise through events in which a gene or genes are mistakenly duplicated during cell division. Unlike their parent genes (which are subject to selection pressure to maintain function), these gene copies do not need to preserve their sequences and may evolve at a relatively faster rate.
Occasionally these regions can be adapted to take on new roles within the organism, becoming novel genes...
9.8K
Globular and Fibrous Proteins02:21

Globular and Fibrous Proteins

Many proteins can be classified into two distinct subtypes - globular or fibrous. These two types differ in their shapes and solubilities.
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...
46.8K
Protein Organization01:24

Protein Organization

Proteins are polymers of amino acid residues. They are versatile and responsible for different cellular functions, including DNA replication, molecular transport, catalysis, and structural support. Proteins have a hierarchical structure comprising at least three levels of organization: primary, secondary, and tertiary structure. Some large proteins have a quaternary structure where individual protein subunits are linked together.
The primary structure of a protein is its amino acid sequence....
9.1K
Protein and Protein Structure02:15

Protein and Protein Structure

Proteins are one of the most abundant organic molecules in living systems and have the most diverse range of functions of all macromolecules. Proteins may be structural, regulatory, contractile, or protective. They may serve in transport, storage, or membranes; or they may be toxins or enzymes. Their structures, like their functions, vary greatly. They are all, however, amino acid polymers arranged in a linear sequence.
A protein's shape is critical to its function. For example, an enzyme...
86.9K