| Abstract: | Antigenic determinants of histone H2B were localized using a series of 23 overlapping fragments of H2B obtained either by chemical and enzymatic cleavage of the histone or by solid-phase peptide synthesis. The ability of peptides to bind H2B antibodies was measured in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, using antisera directed against calf thymus and chicken erythrocyte H2B as well as four anti H2B monoclonal antibodies obtained from autoimmune mice. Seven antigenic determinants were localized in the H2B molecule in the vicinity of residues 1-11, 6-18, 15-25, 26-35, 50-65, 94-113 and 114-125. Two of these determinants (residues 6-18 and 26-35) were revealed only through the binding properties of antibodies isolated from autoimmune mice. The usual correlation between hydrophilicity and antigenicity was found to hold for four of the epitopes, and the N- and C-termini of H2B were both antigenically active. |
