Molecular insight in the purification of immunoglobulin by pseudobiospecific ligand l-histidine and histidyl moieties in histidine ligand affinity chromatography (HLAC) by molecular docking

• In silico approach to explore the molecular recognition of l-histidine by IgG.
• Ser and Tyr in the hinge region make significant interactions with l-histidine.
• Binding of l-histidine at Fc region closely resemble Protein A binding mode.
• Histidine-IgGbinding mechanism is via hydrogen bond and vanderwall interactions.

Pseudobiospecific ligand l-histidine is an inexpensive, highly stable, non-toxic ligand explored successfully over the last twenty years for the purification of immunoglobulins in immobilised histidine ligand affinity chromatography. It is of great interest to know the molecular recognition sites of IgG to immobilized l-histidine. Here, we have used an in silico approach to explore the molecular recognition of l-histidine by IgG. We have assessed the feasible binding modes of histidine and its moieties at different sites of IgG and considered only those binding conformations which are exhibited via the imidazole ring NH group or any other OH donating group apart from the ones which are terminally conjugated with the support matrix. We categorised binding site into two categories; category I: inner binding groove and category II: surface binding groove and observed that the hinge region of IgG has most favourable binding pocket for l-histidine and histidyl moieties. Ser and Tyr residues on the hinge region make several significant interactions with l-histidine and histidyl moieties. In case of Fc region of IgG, l-histidine and histidyl moieties closely resemble the binding modes of Protein A, biomimetic ligand 22/8 and B domain of SpA to IgG. In addition to these we have also observed a significant binding site for l-histidine and histidyl moieties at Fab region of IgG.