%0 Journal Article
%A Stingaciu, Laura
%A Ivanova, Oxana
%A Ohl, Michael
%A Biehl, Ralf
%A Richter, Dieter
%T Fast antibody fragment motion: flexible linkers act as entropic spring
%J Scientific reports
%V 6
%@ 2045-2322
%C London
%I Nature Publishing Group
%M FZJ-2016-02131
%P 22148 - 1-13
%D 2016
%X A flexible linker region between three fragments allows antibodies to adjust their binding sites to an antigen or receptor. Using Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy we observed fragment motion on a timescale of 7 ns with motional amplitudes of about 1 nm relative to each other. The mechanistic complexity of the linker region can be described by a spring model with Brownian motion of the fragments in a harmonic potential. Displacements, timescale, friction and force constant of the underlying dynamics are accessed. The force constant exhibits a similar strength to an entropic spring, with friction of the fragment matching the unbound state. The observed fast motions are fluctuations in pre-existing equilibrium configurations. The Brownian motion of domains in a harmonic potential is the appropriate model to examine functional hinge motions dependent on the structural topology and highlights the role of internal forces and friction to function.
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%U <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000372914800001
%$ pmid:27020739
%R 10.1038/srep22148
%U https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/807644