The effects of post-translational side-chain modifications on the stimulatory activity, serum stability and conformation of synthetic peptides carrying T helper cell epitopes

Abstract

Peptides 31D and VF13, corresponding to the rabies virus nucleo- and glycoproteins, respectively, vigorously stimulate T helper cells of the appropriate specificity. Earlier we showed how internal and external glycosylation affects the major histocompatibility complex molecule (MHC)-binding ability and conformation of these T-cell epitopes (Otvos et al. (1994) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1224, 68-76; Otvos et al. (1995) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1267, 55-64). In the current report, we examined the T-helper cell stimulatory ability after introduction of a new set of post-translational modifications. To obtain general information concerning the effects of amino acid side-chain modifications on other b..