GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE CLASS-I MHC CLEFT

We describe computer graphics and computer aided manufacture of three- dimensional models designed specifically to elucidate the cleft in the class I human leukocyte antigen. The models evolve from computer grap hical representations and provide a geometrically and chemically conci se and detailed view of the antigen binding site. The techniques provi de a new approach to representations of binding sites. The model provi des sufficient detail to support binding specificities analysis of act ive sites involved in protein and DNA binding.