T cell receptor recognition of CD1b presenting a mycobacterial glycolipid.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 27807341.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/ncomms13257 and PMC identifier 5095289.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
CD1 proteins present microbial lipids to T cells. Germline-encoded mycolyl lipid-reactive (GEM) T cells with conserved αβ T cell receptors (TCRs) recognize CD1b presenting mycobacterial mycolates. As the molecular basis underpinning TCR recognition of CD1b remains unknown, here we determine the structure of a GEM TCR bound to CD1b presenting glucose-6-O-monomycolate (GMM). The GEM TCR docks centrally above CD1b, whereby the conserved TCR α-chain extensively contacts CD1b and GMM. Through mutagenesis and study of T cells from tuberculosis patients, we identify a consensus CD1b footprint of TCRs present among GEM T cells. Using both the TCR α- and β-chains as tweezers to surround and grip the glucose moiety of GMM, GEM TCRs create a highly specific mechanism for recognizing this mycobacterial glycolipid.
Medical subject headings
- Antigens, CD1
- Glycolipids
- Latent Tuberculosis
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
- T-Lymphocytes