Epitope Mapping

Epitope mapping is the process of identifying the binding sites, or ‘epitopes’, of antibodies on their target antigens (which are proteins).

Identification and characterization of the binding sites of antibodies can aid in the discovery and development of new therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostics.

Epitopes (the binding sites on the protein) can be divided into linear and conformational. Linear epitopes are formed by a continuous sequence of amino acids in a protein, while conformational epitopes are composed of amino acids that are discontinuous in the protein sequence but are brought together upon three-dimensional protein folding. The vast majority of antigen-antibody interactions have conformational epitopes.