Idiotypes definition

A third, and most definitive method for observing persistence is the analysis of amino acid sequence the idiotype of a molecule must be defined by sequences in the variable portions of its H and L chains. Amino acid sequence analysis has been used to observe the persistence of molecules of related or identical structure during repeated immunizations with type VIII pneumococcal vaccine (71). A rabbit received three 1-month courses of immunization with a rest period of 1 month after each course. Antibodies isolated after successive courses are referred to as Ab-1, Ab-2, and Ab-3. Specifically purified Ab-2 was homogeneous by the criterion of electrophoresis. Antiidiotypic antiserum specific for this purified antibody also reacted, although not as strongly, with Ab-1 and Ab-3. Light chains of Ab-2 were found to have a unique sequence for the first N-terminal 21 residues. This contrasts with nonspecific L chains of the same allotype (b4) which have multiple residues at many... 

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