Immunoglobulin Superfamily - Immunoglobulin Domains

Immunoglobulin Domains

Proteins of the IgSF possess a structural domain known as an immunoglobulin (Ig) domain. Ig domains are named after the immunoglobulin molecules. They contain about 70-110 amino acids and are categorised according to their size and function. Ig-domains possess a characteristic Ig-fold, which has a sandwich-like structure formed by two sheets of antiparallel beta strands. Interactions between hydrophobic amino acids on the inner side of the sandwich and highly conserved disulfide bonds formed between cysteine residues in the B and F strands, stabilize the Ig-fold. One end of the Ig domain has a section called the complementarity determining region that is important for the specificity of antibodies for their ligands.

Read more about this topic:  Immunoglobulin Superfamily

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