Antipeptide monoclonal antibodies to defined fibrinogen Aalpha chain regions: anti-Aalpha 487-498, a structural probe for fibrinogenolysis.

The fibrinogen alphaC domain (Aalpha 220-610) is one of the earliest targets attacked by plasmin following fibrinolytic system activation. Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to defined sequences within the alphaC domain provide the opportunity to explore the structure-function relationships involved in plasmin's interaction with its Aalpha chain substrate at greater resolution and can serve as reagents with potential clinical use for detecting fibrinogenolysis in vivo. The MoAb F-104 was raised against a multiple antigenic peptide derivative modelled after the hydrophilic 12-residue sequence corresponding to Aalpha 487-498 within the alphaC domain.

Crystallization and characterization of human chorionic gonadotropin in chemically deglycosylated and enzymatically desialylated states.

Crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction studies at moderate resolution have been grown from two forms of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG): HF-treated hCG and neuraminidase-treated hCG. The enzymatically desialylated form of hCG produced crystals that diffract to 2.8 A as compared to the HF-treated hCG crystals that diffract to 3.