Endocytic sorting of MHC class I molecules

该项目研究了两个决定抗病毒免疫反应效率的过程，即细胞表面和内质网中MHC I类分子的质量控制。最初，一组新的有目的地设计的I类突变体将被评估，这些突变体显示由于构象限制而改变了细胞内的运输行为。这些突变体以及现有的试剂将被用于研究I类分子构象稳定性的作用，I类分子与耐洗涤剂膜微域的结合，以及I类分子失去配位肽的内吞作用。研究结果将加深我们对针对病毒的免疫反应的理解，并可能产生增强免疫反应的策略。

This project investigates two processes that determine the efficiency of the antiviral immune response, namely the quality control of MHC class I molecules at the surface of the cell and – in comparison - in the Endoplasmic Reticulum. Initially, a set of new purposely designed mutants of class I that show an altered transport behavior in the cell due to a conformational restriction will be evaluated. These mutants as well as existing reagents will then be used to investigate the role of class I conformational stability, the association of class I molecules with detergent-resistant membrane microdomains, and the endocytosis of class I molecules that have lost their ligand peptide. The results will further our understanding of the immune response against viruses, and may yield strategies to enhance it.