Conformational analysis of the amino termini (5 residues) of human glycophorin AM and AN: differentiation of the structural features of the TN and T antigenic determinants in relation to their specificity.

The N-terminus of glycophorin A, the main transmembrane erythrocyte glycoprotein responsible for the MN blood-group specificity, has been modelled. As the minimum size of the protein recognised by the antiglycophorin A antibodies is the N-terminal glycopentapeptide, attention was focused on the TN and T antigenic determinants of this size in order to determine wether differences in 3D structure exist and how a specific response with different antibodies is induced.