Cysteine Residues Required for the Attachment of the Light Chain in Human IgA2

Abstract

In humans, there are two subclasses of IgA, IgA1 and IgA2, with IgA2 existing as three allotypes, IgA2m(1), IgA2m(2) and IgA2(n). In IgA1, Cys133 in CH1 forms the disulfide bond to the L chain. Our previous studies indicated that in IgA2 lacking Cys133, a disulfide bond forms between the α-chain and the L chain when Cys220 is followed by Arg221, but not when Cys220 is followed by Pro221, suggesting that the Cys in CH1 might be involved in disulfide bonding to the L chain. However, here we show that covalent assembly of the H and L chains in IgA2(n) requires hinge-proximal Cys241 and Cys242 in CH2 and not Cys196 or Cys220 in CH1. Using pulse-chase experiments, we have demonstrated that wild-type IgA2(n) with Arg221 and Cys241 and Cys242 assembles through a disulfide-bonded HL intermediate. In contrast, the major intermediate for IgA2 m(1) with Pro221 assembly was H2 even though both Cys241 and Cys242 were present. Only a small fraction of IgA2 m(1) assembles through disulfide-bonded HL. Overall, our studies indicate that for IgA2 covalent assembly of the H and L chains requires the hinge-proximal cysteines in CH2 and that the structure of CH1 influences the efficiency with which this covalent bond forms.