Antibodies (immunoglobulins) are Y-shaped glycoproteins composed of two heavy chains and two light chains, linked by disulfide bonds . Their structure includes:
Variable (V) regions: Contain hypervariable loops (CDRs) that bind antigens with high specificity .
Constant (C) regions: Determine effector functions (e.g., complement activation, Fc receptor binding) .
Recent advancements in antibody discovery involve:
B cell repertoire mining: Screening convalescent donors or vaccinees to isolate broadly neutralizing antibodies (e.g., TXG-0078, CC24.2) .
Quaternary epitope targeting: Antibodies like 12-16/12-19 neutralize SARS-CoV-2 by locking the RBD in a "down" conformation .
Pan-coronavirus protection: TXG-0078 demonstrates cross-reactivity against alpha- and beta-coronaviruses, suggesting conserved epitopes .
To locate information on this compound:
KEGG: spo:SPAC139.03
STRING: 4896.SPAC139.03.1