Antibody-mediated modification of the binding properties of a protein related to galactose transport.

A galactose-binding protein related to the mglP transport system of Escherichia coli increases its affinity and binding capacity for the substrate when exposed to both d-galactose and specific antibodies. For this increase to occur, the binding protein has to be in contact with d-galactose for at least 2 min prior to the addition of the antibodies. This reaction was used to show that other substrates of the mglP transport system compete with galactose for a site(s) of the binding protein and that the degree of competition is comparable to that observed in vivo. A model for substrate translocation is presented postulating a cellular component that can induce conformational changes in the galactose-binding protein similar to those caused by antibodies.