Qiu-Lin Ma

A cryptic symmetry switch allosterically controls how the PF4 self-protein turns into a pathogenic antigen

It is shown that cryptic conformational switches control PF4 tetramer asymmetry and how a benign self-protein morphs into an immunogenic antigen, triggering a pathogenic autoimmune response, overturning the long-standing hypothesis that electrostatics alone drive PF4 asymmetry.