ACBP4 Antibody

Definition and Function of ACBP4

ACBP4 facilitates the intracellular transport of acyl-CoA esters and lipids, particularly in membrane biosynthesis and lipid trafficking. In plants (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana and rice), ACBP4 localizes to the cytosol and interacts with acyl-CoA esters to support galactolipid and phospholipid synthesis . In humans, homologs like ACBP/DBI (diazepam-binding inhibitor) are implicated in metabolic disorders such as Cushing’s syndrome, though ACBP4-specific roles in mammals remain less defined .

Key Applications of ACBP4 Antibody

The ACBP4 antibody has been instrumental in:

• Subcellular localization: Confirming cytosolic expression in Arabidopsis via western blot and immuno-electron microscopy .

• Protein-protein interaction studies: Identifying binding partners like AtEBP (Ethylene-Responsive Element Binding Protein) through co-immunoprecipitation .

• Mutant characterization: Validating acbp4 knockout phenotypes in lipid metabolism using western blot and RT-PCR .

Plant Studies

• Lipid biosynthesis: Arabidopsis acbp4 mutants exhibit reduced membrane lipids (e.g., phosphatidylcholine, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol), confirming ACBP4’s role in acyl-CoA transfer from chloroplasts to the endoplasmic reticulum .

• Interaction networks: ACBP4 binds AtEBP, a transcription factor regulating ethylene and pathogen responses, suggesting cross-talk between lipid metabolism and stress signaling .

Human and Mammalian Studies

• Cushing’s syndrome: Elevated ACBP/DBI levels correlate with disease severity, and neutralizing antibodies against ACBP/DBI mitigate metabolic dysregulation in murine models .

Validation and Cross-Reactivity

• Plant studies: Anti-ACBP4 antibodies show specificity for cytosolic ACBP4 in Arabidopsis, with no cross-reactivity to ACBP5 .

• Human studies: ACBP/DBI antibodies (e.g., #40487) detect endogenous protein across human, mouse, and rat tissues .

Limitations and Considerations

• Species specificity: Antibodies against plant ACBP4 do not cross-react with mammalian ACBD4 or ACBP/DBI due to sequence divergence .

• Functional redundancy: In Arabidopsis, ACBP4 and ACBP5 partially compensate for lipid trafficking, complicating knockout phenotypic analysis .

Future Directions

• Therapeutic potential: Neutralizing ACBP/DBI antibodies may offer novel treatments for metabolic syndromes like Cushing’s .

• Crop engineering: Modulating ACBP4 expression in plants could enhance stress tolerance by optimizing lipid allocation .