A peptide from heat shock protein 60 is the dominant peptide bound to Qa-1 in the absence of the MHC class Ia leader sequence peptide QDM

The MHC class Ib molecule Qa-1 binds specifically and predominantly to a single 9-aa peptide (AMAPRTLLL) derived from the leader sequence of many MHC class la proteins. This peptide is referred to as Qdm. In this study, we report the isolation and sequencing of a heat shock protein 60-derived peptide (GMKFDRGYI) from Qa-1. This peptide is the dominant peptide bound to Qa-1 in the absence of Qdm. A Qa-1-restricted CTL clone recognizes this heat shock protein 60 peptide, further verifying that it binds to Qa-1 and a peptide from the homologous Salmonella typhimurium protein GroEL (GMQFDRGYL). These observations have implications for how Qa-1 can influence NK cell and T cell effector function via the TCR and CD94/NKG2 family members, and how this effect can change under conditions that cause the peptides bound to Qa-1 to change.