Typical Y-shape of immunoglobulin G. (Image: Gareth White / PROTEINS, Structure, Function and Genetics / CC 2.0)
Research news - Antibodies defend our bodies against intruders. These molecules consist of proteins with attached sugars. However, the blueprint directing the processing of these sugars on the protein was not well understood until now. Scientists from the Technical University of Munich and the Helmholtz Zentrum München used computer analysis to complete this blueprint and confirmed their findings in the laboratory. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, are the most common antibodies in blood and act especially against viruses and bacteria. They are are produced by so-called plasma cells after contact with a corresponding antigen. "They have a characteristic Y shape and are composed mainly of protein", explains Elisa Benedetti, PhD student at the Institute of Computational Biology (ICB) of the Helmholtz Zentrum München.
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