Chapter 33: The Immune System

Chapter 33: The Immune System

  • The cells and proteins of this system work together to detect and kill foreign organisms.
    • The humoral immune response is caused by the production of antibodies in the circulatory system.
    • The immune system is an example of a system governed by the basic principles of evolution.
  • The structure of immunoglobulin G is discussed after the authors define essential immunological terms.
  • The variable and constant regions of immunoglobulins are related to the organization of genes.
    • They explain how a large variety of V-, D-, and J-segment genes with a few C genes, plus imprecise joining, can generate enormous diversity of antibody molecules.
    • There are five classes of immunoglobulins with their functions and compositions.
    • The five classes are generated by the same genes.
    • The formation of immunoglobulins is a result of alternative mRNA splicing.
    • The authors turn to the cellular immune response.
  • They describe the functions of T cells and discuss their structure and composition.
  • Preceding chapters in the text that deal with the structure of genes, evolution, and the flow of genetic information are important background for this chapter.
  • Chapter 33 contains some basic information about the immune system and a discussion of the production of monoclonal antibodies.
  • You should be able to complete the objectives once you have mastered this chapter.
  • Give the different classes of immunoglobulins their functions.
    • The structural bases for the function of each class are provided by H chains and the common occurrence of (k) and (l) L chains.
  • Discuss the distribution of the immunoglobulin-fold structural motifs in the biological distribution of the proteins.
  • Discuss the types of bonds that make up complexes.

  • The sizes and structures of the epitopes are noted.
  • Match the structure or feature listed in the right column with the appropriate IgG frag ment on the left.
  • The immunoglobulin class is listed in the left column and the right column.
  • There is a molecule of IgG that has a immunoglobulin domain.
    • Each heavy chain has a sandwich, and each light chain has one.
  • There are seven alpha-helical segments in the immunoglobulin fold.
  • The X-ray analysis shows that small antigens fit into a cleft.
  • There are many different copies of the V and C genes in the pools.
  • The following genes have an approximate number in the germ line.
  • Match the immunological term in the left column with its description or definition in the right column.
  • The right column has structural features that correspond to the left column.
  • The feature listed in the right column is the type of T cell you match.
  • T cells are subject to both positive and negative selection during fetal development.

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  • The Fc fragment lacks an antigen-binding site and the Fab fragment only has one.
    • The insoluble lattice of antigen-antibody molecules can be formed because intact IgG molecule each have two different binding sites.
  • The variable sequence of the L and H chains is different from one another.
  • The answer is incorrect because the two sites on the mol ecule are directed towards the same epitope.
  • The answer is incorrect because the H and L chains are hypervariable.
  • A, b, c, e, d, and so on.
    • Several B lymphocytes that are stimulated by the antigen are able to differentiate into different types of cells.
    • Each plasma cell has a different type of antibodies that bind the antigen through different types of interactions between the hypervariable regions of the antibody and the epitope bound.
  • The probe would hybridize to one region on the DNA from the plasma cell, but not the germ-line DNA.
    • The intact gene sequence for the V, J, and L regions of the L chain can be found on the plasma cell DNA.
    • The V, J, and L regions of the L chain are in distant locations because the DNA has not yet been rearranged to bring them into proximity.
  • There isn't enough unique V and C genes to give a sufficient number of different sequences when they are combined.
    • The number of combinations can be increased by joining and diversity genes.
  • If the small molecule becomes attached to a macromolecule, it can act as an immunogen and serve as an epitope to which an antibody can be selected to bind.
    • Section 33.4.3 can be found on page 933.
  • The Peptides are bound in a "extended" conformation.
  • The answer is incorrect because T-cell receptors only recognize fragments of foreign macromolecules when they are bound on the surface of a cell.
    • Answer (d) is incorrect because the T-cellreceptor is composed of one a and one b chain, each having a sequence that is similar to the V regions of the chains of immunoglobulins.
  • The answer is correct because the complement cascade is contributed to by class III MHC proteins.
  • The answer is incorrect because the HIV RNA and other core components enter the helpers T cells when the viral membrane is fused with the cell.
  • The T-lymphocytes that do not bind to any of the MHC-peptide complexes are winnowed out by the positive selection.
    • During the "positive selection" phase, most developing T-cells are discarded, including cells that would respond to other individuals, but not those present in "self" cells.
    • T-cells that bind too tightly to "self" are removed by the negative selection process.
  • According to the text, cancer cells can sometimes produce CEA that is inappropriat ate for the development of the individual.
    • Sometimes abnormal genes can be produced.
    • The fact that human cancer cells are basically human cells poses a serious challenge for cancer treatment, and explains the fact that chemotherapy is generally rather difficult and uncomfortable.
    • Antibiotics can be quite safe.
    • The therapeutic ratio is less favorable because the drugs have to prevent processes that occur in both cancer cells and normal cells.
  • There are only 40,000 genes in the human genome, but millions of them are involved in the production of antibodies.
    • All higher animals have some kind of self versus nonself recognition system, but this diversity generating system is limited to jawed vertebrates.
  • A single sharp band appears when polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is performed.
    • Two bands appear when the preparation is treated with b-mercaptoethanol.
  • The carboxyl-terminal side of the interchain disulfide bonds between heavy chains is cleaved by Pepsin.
  • Suppose that the antibody is prepared against the part of the hormone that is known to carry out autophosphorylation.
    • Adding this antibody to target cells will cause similar responses to those obtained by adding hormones.
    • Adding hormones may mimic the effects of adding antibody.
    • Before tackling this question, 411-413 was written in the text.
  • In many experiments on the immune system, DNP is used as a hapten.
    • Light and heavy chains are produced by the addition of a bifunctional DNP affinity-labeling reagent.
  • Most of the antigens have more than one binding site.
    • It is easy to understand how a molecule might have multiple binding sites if it contains regular, repeating sequences.
    • It is difficult to imagine how polyvalence might be accounted for in the case of nonrepeating sequences.
    • There are single polypeptide chains that are polyvalent.
  • Quantitative measures of the interactions between antigens and antibodies are often given as association constants.
    • The second-order rate constant for the binding of a given hapten is108 M-1 and the association constant is109 M-1.
  • Suppose that dinitrophenol is attached to aProtein with many potential DNP binding sites and that the resulting antigen is used to increase the production of rabbits' antibody production.
  • "cut and display" is the system that supplies MHC.
  • College students were put to sleep in plain white T-shirts.
    • They had female volunteers rate the attractiveness of the shirts on a scale of 1 to 10.
    • The researchers were able to determine that the women preferred the scent of men with different MHC proteins because they had tissue-typed all participants.
    • Other researchers found that women preferred men who smelled like their fathers.
  • The text states that the rate of change of HIV is 65 times higher than that of the flu.
  • Myasthenia gravis is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks acetylcholinereceptors, causing a decrease in their numbers.
    • Those with myasthenia gravis show weakness and fatigability of their muscles.
  • Loss of function of breathing muscles leads to death.
    • There are two types of drugs that can be used in medical therapy for myasthenia gravis.
    • Give a reason for the use of each.
  • There will be a large number of variable sequences in the germ-line DNA even without a diversity-generating system.
    • Without the power and flexibility of the vertebrate system, these will allow for an immune response.
    • The importance of the immune system may be lessened by the fact that most invertebrates have a short life-span.
  • The Ab/Ag ratio is 8/7.
    • The ratio is 17/6.
  • On the basis of size, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis separates different types of cells.
  • Light and heavy chains are separated on the gel.
  • One piece has Fab units.
    • The other two pieces are from the Fc region.
  • The hormone-receptor com plex can be caused by the addition of hormone.
    • The two approximated receptor monomers will become capable of cross-phosphorylation, with an increase in their activity.
    • Adding bivalent antibodies would make it possible for the units to crossphosphorylate and thus cause effects in the body.
  • The light chain and heavy chain are involved in binding the DNP hapten, according to the observation.
  • The production of a mixed population of anti bodies will be stimulated by a given antigenic protein, with each type of antibody being specific for a different region in the tertiary structure.
  • The lymphocyte preparation could be done over a column containing the beads.
    • Lymphocytes that are capable of producing antibody toward the particular antigen would bound to the beads because they have a receptor on their cell surface.
    • The column would not be binding.
    • The addition of free antigen would compete with bound antigen for combination with the cell- surface receptors, which could then be released from the column.
    • The fact that many types of lymphocytes are produced by the immune system, each having a specificreceptor on the cell surface capable of reacting with some (previously unencountered) antigen is the reason that the purification method works.
    • A combination of the two causes the lymphocyte to divide.
  • If the haptens were clustered so densely on the antigen that bi valent antibodies combined preferentially with two neighboring haptens, the results would occur.
  • Most of the cells have MHC class I proteins.
    • Both self and nonself proteins will be degraded, and the peptides will be translocated across the ER.
    • The combination of peptides and MHC will eventually be displayed on the cell's exterior.
  • B-cells from the immune system are the only place where MHC class II proteins are found.
  • The peptides do not originate in the cell but in the endosomes, where acidic hydrolysis occurs.
    • The B-cell is stimulated to reproduce by the nonself peptides.
  • It is not surprising that females prefer males with different MHCs, as the scent of an individual shows.
    • This would ensure that the offspring would have different MHCs and that they would have better survival chances in an epidemic of a disease.
    • There was some variation in the results of the study when it came to whether the women were taking birth control pills.
    • The study on women taking birth control pills differed from Wedekind's conclusions.
    • It is possible that "dating" women would be interested in adventure, while "settled" or pregnant women would prefer the familiar scent of home.
  • The previous year's flu shot wouldn't work anymore because the virus has changed.
    • There are many strains of the HIV virus within the body after an individual has been HIV positive for several years.
    • It is difficult to design a vaccine when the target is constantly moving.
    • AIDS is an example of evolution because it seems to adapt to the life style of the population.
    • It is in line with the model of reproduction with variation and subsequent selection.
    • It would be possible for it to change in ways to keep spreading the disease.
    • It's hard to eradicate or even cure it because it's a retroviruses that becomes part of the genes of the cells.
  • The synthesis of many other useful and protective antibodies will be retarded by the use of immunosuppressive agents.
    • There will be an increase in acetylcholine concentrations at motor end plates.
    • The increase in mass action will lead to an increase in the number of acetylcholine-acetylcholine receptor complexes.

  • The value is close to the limit for combination of a small molecule with a protein.
    • The extent of structural change is likely to be small.
  • The size of the dextran-binding site is typical for an antigen-recognizing surface.
    • There are six sugar residues in the active site of lysozyme.
    • The range of sizes of the combining sites of the antibodies is similar to the active sites of the enzymes.
  • When the hapten is bound, the fluorescence enhancement and shift to the blue show that water is largely out of the site.
    • Most antigen-antibody complexes are formed by hydrophobic interactions.
  • It is essential to have the VH and VL domains.
    • A small portion of Fab fragments can be further digested to produce FV, a fragment that contains just these two domains.
    • The stability of Fab is dependent on CH1 and CL.
  • The mode of activation is similar to that of the tyrannosaurus rex.
  • This experiment can be carried out using a goat antibody to a mouse B cell.
  • T-cell receptors are not expressed by B cells.
    • B-cell mRNAs are used to hybridize T-cell cDNAs.
  • Chapters 33 and 34 are enriched with those T-cell receptors.
  • A closely related cell that does not express the gene of interest should be used for hybridization.
  • This method was used to obtain genes for T-cell receptors.
  • An unfolding/refolding experiment could be used to test the model.
    • A high temperature or a chemical denaturant would be used to reversibly unfold an antibody.
    • A slow refolding would be attempted by gradually lowering the temperature or removing the denaturant in the presence of different small-molecule haptens.
    • The model suggests that different folding should be done by refolding the presence of different antigens.
  • Premature terminated codons may be introduced by the gene rearrangements that generate antibody diversity.
    • The immune response could be adversely affected by the truncated proteins.
  • The regions of variable sequence are missing from the Fc fragments.
    • The properties of their surfaces are similar and they are able to interact with each other to form a lattice.
    • The group of Fab fragments have a variety of binding surfaces.
  • leucine is at position 2 and valine is at the C terminal.
    • The C-terminal of the presented peptide should be the V of the given sequence.
    • It is most likely that the peptide is LLQATYSAV.
  • The geometry of the transition state that is formed during the hydrolysis of amides or esters by serine proteases is similar to the transition-state analog.
    • One would expect an appropriate serine (or cysteine) in its binding site for catalytic activity.
  • A domain that is related to SH2 may bind to the critical phosphotyrosine residue and maintain the enzyme in an inactive state.
    • The second domain may not bind to the tyrosine if CD45 removes thephosphate from the phosphotyrosine.
  • A single codon change is likely to be a mechanism for this process.