Thesis * Antithesis * Antithesis = Thesis?

[Kylonicus]

I was wondering, if you were to make an antibody of something, then, do to the fact that the protein structure is the complete opposite and designed to match up to the other protein structure, you made an antibody against that antibody, would you end up with the original protein, or something functionally similar?

[Bluenoise]

No.

[ecoli]

Maybe you should do some research on what an antibody is...

 

http://www.google.com/search?q=antibodies&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

[Dak]

take a protien, for example. the area of the protien that the antibody recognises is called the epitope. the area of the antibody which recognises the epitope is called the CDR.

 

now, if another antibody is raised against the original antibody, and the epitope happens to be the CDR (of the original antibody), then as both the epitope of the original protien and the CDR of the second antibody are (broadly speaking) the opposite in shape and charge of the CDR of the first antibody, (still with me?) then they will share a degree of homology.

 

however, this is just one area of the protien/antibody. it doesnt nessesaraly follow that the whole molecule will be the same, though there will be one area of similarity.

 

man, antibody nomclamenture is confusing

[Kylonicus]

I completely understand, Thanks guys.