The spatial relationship of the viral and H-2 antigens recognized by anti-viral CTLs.

With the use of monospecific rabbit anti-G protein and mouse monoclonal anti-H-2Kk, we have analyzed the spatial relationship of the serologically defined H-2Kk antigens and the major surface glycoprotein (G protein) of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) to those antigens recognized by B10.A (k, d) anti-VSV cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). The ability of monoclonal anti-H-2Kk or rabbit anti-G protein to inhibit specifically the cytolytic activity of B10.A anti-VSV CTLs indicates that the G protein and the H-2Kk molecules are in close proximity to the viral and H-2Kk antigens recognized by the anti-VSV (CTLs. By the method of sequential immunoprecipitation, we also demonstrated that only 10-30 percent of the serologically defined G and H-2Kk molecules are in the G-H-2Kk complexes.