Class Ia major histocompatibility complex (MHC) immunoglobulin domain of H-2Kb; member of the C1-set of Ig superfamily (IgSF) domains
The members here are composed of the Class Ia major histocompatibility complex (MHC) immunoglobulin domain of H-2Kb. H-2Kb is an alloantigen for the 2C T cell receptor (TCR). H-2Kb forms a complex with beta-2-microglobulin, and a peptide, including VSV-8 (RGYVYNGL), SEV-9 (FAPGNYPAL), and OVA-8 (SIINFEKL). Comparison of the OVA-8, VSV-8, and SEV-9 complexes with H-2Kb indicates that four side chains (Lys-66, Glu-152, Arg-155, and Trp-167) adopt peptide-specific conformations. H-2Kb paralogs include H-2Db, H-2Kbml and H-2KbI1s. Class I MHC proteins bind antigenic peptide fragments and present them to CD8+ T lymphocytes. Class I molecules consist of a transmembrane alpha chain and a small chain called the beta-2-microglobulin. The alpha chain contains three extracellular domains, two of which fold together to form the peptide-binding cleft (alpha1 and alpha2), and one which has an Ig fold (alpha3). Peptide binding to class I molecules occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and involves both chaperones and dedicated factors to assist in peptide loading. Class I MHC molecules are expressed on most nucleated cells.