Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 20 November 1987:
Vol. 238. no. 4830, pp. 1116 - 1119
DOI: 10.1126/science.2446387
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Science, Vol 238, Issue 4830, 1116-1119
Copyright © 1987 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Autoreactive epitope defined as the anticodon region of alanine transfer RNA

CC Bunn and MB Mathews

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY 11724.

Autoantibodies to aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetases are common in the human autoimmune diseases polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Sera of the PL-12 specificity contain separate antibodies reacting with alanyl-tRNA synthetase and alanine tRNA (tRNAAla). The antibodies to tRNA recognize at least six distinguishable human tRNAAla species grouped into two sequence families. The antibody-reactive determinants on the tRNA were identified through ribonuclease protection and oligonucleotide binding experiments. The antibody binding site is a seven- to nine-nucleotide sequence containing the anticodon loop and requires an intact anticodon. No requirement for anticodon stem structure or sequence is observed, although the 5' portion of the stem is protected from nuclease attack. Antibodies from several patients appear to share the same specificitym, indicating that the antibodies are induced by a unique sequence feature in the immunogen.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
The Importance of the Light Chain for the Epitope Specificity of Human Anti-U1 Small Nuclear RNA Autoantibodies Present in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients.
R. M. A. Hoet, M. Pieffers, M. H. W. Stassen, J. Raats, R. de Wildt, G. J. M. Pruijn, F. van den Hoogen, and W. J. van Venrooij (1999)
J. Immunol. 163, 3304-3312
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Current Concepts in the Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: Polymyositis, Dermatomyositis, and Related Disorders.
P. H. Plotz, M. Dalakas, R. L. Leff, L. A. Love, F. W. Miller, and M. E. Cronin (1989)
Ann Intern Med 111, 143-157
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)