Localisation of the main immunogenic region of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

AbstractThe nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo marmorata was digested using papain and the reaction products separated by SDS gel electrophoresis and characterised by immunoblotting using labelled α-bungarotoxin, polyclonal antibodies to synthetic peptides and monoclonal antibodies to the main immunogenic region (MIR). Using this approach, it was possible to show that the MIR is located N-terminal to all or part of peptide 151–169 (peptide P1) of the α-chain and that papain cleaves the α-chain between Asn 141 and peptide P1