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Open data
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Basic information
| Entry | Database: PDB / ID: 9zfz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Title | 7118 Fab in complex with Plasmodium falciparum rsCSP | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Keywords | IMMUNE SYSTEM / Plasmodium / malaria / CSP / Fab / homotypic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Biological species | Homo sapiens (human)![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Method | ELECTRON MICROSCOPY / single particle reconstruction / cryo EM / Resolution: 3.3 Å | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Authors | Cannac, F. / Lee, W.H. / Ward, A.B. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Funding support | United States, 2items
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Citation | Journal: PLoS Pathog / Year: 2026Title: Structural basis for conserved and distinct antigen recognition by a lineage of malaria-protective antibodies. Authors: Monika Jain / Fabien Cannac / Sashank Agrawal / Wen-Hsin Lee / Johannes R Loeffler / Monica L Fernández-Quintero / Gonzalo E González-Páez / Re'em Moskovitz / Andrew B Ward / Ian A Wilson / ![]() Abstract: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) have demonstrated substantial promise in preventing malaria infection and disease. PfCSP is ...Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) have demonstrated substantial promise in preventing malaria infection and disease. PfCSP is characterized by a central region composed of repetitive NANP motifs, which serve as major targets for protective antibodies. Several potent mAbs targeting this region exhibit homotypic Fab-Fab interactions, which enhance antigen binding and contribute to their neutralization potency. Among these, mAb 399, encoded by the IGHV3-49/IGKV2D-29 (VH3-49/VK2D-29) germline lineages, forms head-to-head inter-Fab contacts mediated primarily by germline-encoded residues. Here, we determined X-ray and cryo-EM structures of two additional Fabs, derived from the same germline lineages, 7160 and 7118, in their unliganded forms and with PfCSP-derived peptides or recombinant shortened CSP. Both Fabs bound NANP6 repeats with high affinity (KD 6-10 nM). Fab 7160 formed germline-encoded inter-Fab homotypic interactions resembling Fab 399, indicating a conserved and preconfigured mode of antigen recognition. In contrast, Fab 7118 does not form homotypic contacts and adopts a distinct binding mode, which precludes inter-Fab interactions. These findings highlight the structural versatility of VH3-49/VK2D-29-derived antibodies and demonstrate that their CDR loop variations can modulate antibody conformation, homotypic Fab-Fab interactions, and epitope engagement. Our study further defines this class of germline-encoded anti-CSP antibodies and provides mechanistic insights into how they achieve high-avidity binding and protective immunity either through or independent of pre-configured Fab-Fab interactions with important implications for germline-targeting malaria vaccine design. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Structure visualization
| Structure viewer | Molecule: Molmil Jmol/JSmol |
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Downloads & links
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Download
| PDBx/mmCIF format | 9zfz.cif.gz | 198.7 KB | Display | PDBx/mmCIF format |
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| PDB format | pdb9zfz.ent.gz | 156.6 KB | Display | PDB format |
| PDBx/mmJSON format | 9zfz.json.gz | Tree view | PDBx/mmJSON format | |
| Others | Other downloads |
-Validation report
| Arichive directory | https://data.pdbj.org/pub/pdb/validation_reports/zf/9zfz ftp://data.pdbj.org/pub/pdb/validation_reports/zf/9zfz | HTTPS FTP |
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-Related structure data
| Related structure data | ![]() 74167MC ![]() 12fcC ![]() 12fdC ![]() 12feC ![]() 9zfyC ![]() 9zm7C ![]() 9zm8C ![]() 9zm9C ![]() 9zmaC ![]() 9zmbC ![]() 9zmcC M: map data used to model this data C: citing same article ( |
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Links
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Assembly
| Deposited unit | ![]()
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| 1 |
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Components
| #1: Antibody | Mass: 13340.860 Da / Num. of mol.: 4 Source method: isolated from a genetically manipulated source Source: (gene. exp.) Homo sapiens (human) / Production host: ![]() #2: Antibody | Mass: 12521.192 Da / Num. of mol.: 4 Source method: isolated from a genetically manipulated source Source: (gene. exp.) Homo sapiens (human) / Production host: ![]() #3: Protein | | Mass: 30232.156 Da / Num. of mol.: 1 Source method: isolated from a genetically manipulated source Source: (gene. exp.) ![]() Production host: ![]() Has protein modification | Y | |
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-Experimental details
-Experiment
| Experiment | Method: ELECTRON MICROSCOPY |
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| EM experiment | Aggregation state: PARTICLE / 3D reconstruction method: single particle reconstruction |
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Sample preparation
| Component | Name: 7118 Fab in complex with Plasmodium falciparum rsCSP / Type: COMPLEX / Entity ID: all / Source: MULTIPLE SOURCES |
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| Source (natural) | Organism: ![]() |
| Source (recombinant) | Organism: ![]() |
| Buffer solution | pH: 7.4 |
| Specimen | Conc.: 1 mg/ml / Embedding applied: NO / Shadowing applied: NO / Staining applied: NO / Vitrification applied: YES |
| Specimen support | Grid material: COPPER / Grid mesh size: 300 divisions/in. / Grid type: Quantifoil R1.2/1.3 |
| Vitrification | Instrument: FEI VITROBOT MARK IV / Cryogen name: ETHANE / Humidity: 100 % / Chamber temperature: 277 K |
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Electron microscopy imaging
| Microscopy | Model: TFS GLACIOS |
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| Electron gun | Electron source: LAB6 / Accelerating voltage: 200 kV / Illumination mode: FLOOD BEAM |
| Electron lens | Mode: BRIGHT FIELD / Nominal magnification: 190000 X / Nominal defocus max: 1600 nm / Nominal defocus min: 600 nm / Cs: 2.7 mm / C2 aperture diameter: 20 µm / Alignment procedure: COMA FREE |
| Specimen holder | Cryogen: NITROGEN / Specimen holder model: FEI TITAN KRIOS AUTOGRID HOLDER |
| Image recording | Electron dose: 60 e/Å2 / Film or detector model: TFS FALCON 4i (4k x 4k) / Num. of grids imaged: 1 / Num. of real images: 2065 |
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Processing
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| CTF correction | Type: PHASE FLIPPING AND AMPLITUDE CORRECTION | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Symmetry | Point symmetry: C1 (asymmetric) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3D reconstruction | Resolution: 3.3 Å / Resolution method: FSC 0.143 CUT-OFF / Num. of particles: 250774 / Symmetry type: POINT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Refinement | Highest resolution: 3.3 Å Stereochemistry target values: REAL-SPACE (WEIGHTED MAP SUM AT ATOM CENTERS) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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About Yorodumi




Homo sapiens (human)

United States, 2items
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