AHK3 Antibody

Definition and Biological Role of AHK3

AHK3 is a transmembrane histidine kinase receptor in Arabidopsis thaliana that mediates cytokinin signaling, a hormone regulating plant growth, leaf longevity, and stress adaptation . The AHK3 antibody specifically targets this receptor, enabling researchers to investigate its expression, localization, and interaction networks.

Leaf Longevity and Senescence

• AHK3 is essential for cytokinin-mediated delay of leaf senescence. Loss-of-function ahk3 mutants exhibit premature chlorophyll degradation during dark-induced senescence, while cytokinin application rescues this phenotype .

• Phosphorylation of the response regulator ARR2 by AHK3 is critical for transmitting cytokinin signals, as shown in protoplast assays .

Cell Morphogenesis

• AHK3 regulates pavement cell (PC) interdigitation in cotyledons. Mutants (ahk3 cre1) show enhanced interdigitation, while cytokinin treatment suppresses this process in wild-type plants .

Subcellular Localization

• AHK3 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and forms homo- and heterodimers with other cytokinin receptors (e.g., AHK4). This ER residency was confirmed via GFP/RFP fusion studies and EndoH glycosylation assays .

Key Research Findings

Applications of AHK3 Antibody in Research

• Western Blotting: Used to detect AHK3 protein levels in transgenic lines and mutants .

• Immunoprecipitation: Identifies AHK3 interaction partners, such as ARR2 .

• Subcellular Localization Studies: Validates ER localization via fluorescence microscopy .

• Functional Characterization: Distinguishes AHK3-specific roles from other cytokinin receptors (AHK2, AHK4) .

Validation and Reproducibility

• Lot Consistency: Critical for reliable results. Superclonal secondary antibodies (e.g., goat anti-rabbit IgG) demonstrate minimal variability across lots in Western blot and imaging assays, as shown in comparative studies .

• KO/KI Models: ahk3 mutants and overexpression lines provide robust systems to validate antibody specificity .

Broader Implications

AHK3 antibody studies have clarified cytokinin signaling pathways, offering insights into improving crop stress tolerance and yield. Future work may explore AHK3’s role in nutrient allocation and cross-talk with other hormonal pathways.