Immunogenicity in mice of the sequential polypeptides (Ala-Tyr-Glu-Gly)n, (Ala-Glu-Tyr-Gly)n, (Glu-Ala-Tyr-Gly)n and (Glu-Tyr-Ala-Gly)n and their linkage with the major histocompatibility complex.

The immunogenicity of the four sequential polymers of alpha-L-amino acids referred to below was studied in inbred strains of mice. The responses were linked to the H-2 haplotype, and the Ir genes controlling the responses were mapped to the IA region. The responses were restricted to two haplotypes as follows: (Ala-Tyr-Glu-Gly)n and (Ala-Glu-Tyr-Gly)n - H-2k; (Glu-Ala-Tyr-Gly)n - H-2b; (Glu-Tyr-Ala-Gly)n - H-2k and b. The absence of reciprocal crossreactions among all of these polymers, plus the sequential polymers (Tyr-Ala-Glu-Gly)n and (Tyr-Glu-Ala-Gly)n at both the antibody and T-cell levels, indicated that each of these six polymers was indeed structurally unique.