EPITOPE MAPPING OF HUMAN ETS1 MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY

The epitope for E44 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was mapped using mutated ETS1 proteins lacking different carboxy-terminal regions and by the employment of synthetic oligopeptides spanning the epitope region. This epitope lies around Arg211 of the human ETS1 protein since substitution of Arg211 by Gln211 in the epitope region results in the loss of recognition of the mouse ETS1 protein by E44 mAb. Substitution of Leu214 by valine214 in the epitope region (as is found in the chicken ETS1 and viral Ets proteins) does not alter the capacity of the E44 mAb to recognize this antigen. Taken together, these results suggest that a specific ionic interaction is able to play a pivotal role in the recognition of the ETS1 protein by the E44 mAb.