H-2Kk and vesicular stomatitis virus G proteins are not extensively associated in reconstituted membranes recognized by T cells.

It is shown that liposomes containing (i) a fluorescein-labeled murine histocompatibility antigen (FITC-H-2Kk) and the G protein of vesicular stomatitis virus or (ii) H-2Kk and fluorescein-labeled viral protein (FITC-G) can elicit H-2-restricted syngeneic antiviral cytotoxic T cells as assayed by 51Cr release from appropriate virus-infected target cells. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching was used to measure the diffusion coefficients of these reconstituted proteins in four different samples: (i) FITC-H-2Kk; (ii) FITC-H-2Kk and G; (iii) FITC-G; and (iv) FITC-G and H-2Kk. The same rate of lateral diffusion (D = 1 x 10(-8) cm2/sec at 37 degrees C in 25% cholesterol/75% dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine) was obtained in every case. Both proteins, fluorescent as well as nonfluorescent, could be patched by using specific antibodies. When G was patched with antibody, FITC-H-2Kk did not copatch. When H-2Kk was patched with antibody FITC-G did not copatch. These diffusion and patching measurements rule out the possibility that these proteins have either extensive oligomeric associations or strong specific pairwise associations.