Cover illustration CD40 ligand (CD40L) is a 39 kDa glycoprotein expressed mainly on activated CD4+ T-cells.The interaction of CD40L with its receptor CD40 is essential for lymphocyte signalling leading to immunoglobulin class switching and B-cell maturation. Mutations in CD40L lead to X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome, a primary immunodeficiency. Here, the electrostatic surface potentials of wild type (A and C) and mutated (B and D) CD40L are represented. In the mutated structures, all known missense mutations are included. A large proportion of the mutations alter the electrostatic surface from positive to negative, which likely affects receptor binding which is dependent on structural and electrostatic complementarity. For further details please see Thusberg and Vihinen, pp. 133-141.
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