PATTERN-RECOGNITION BY ANTIBODIES FOR 2-DIMENSIONAL ARRAYS OF MOLECULES

Direct antibody recognition of supramolecular arrays of small molecule s, rather than of an individual molecule, is demonstrated. Monoclonal antibodies, raised and selected against crystals of cholesterol monohy drate are shown by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and immun ofluorescence imaging to specifically interact with monolayers of chol esterol at the air-water interface. This raises the possibility of pro ducing antibodies against solid antigens and using them to tag geometr ical arrays of molecules in, for example, membranes, which cannot be p resented as such to the immune system.