KEGG: ath:AT2G30890
UniGene: At.48532
At2g30890 (UniProt ID: O80854) is a protein encoded by a gene located on chromosome 2 of Arabidopsis thaliana, commonly known as mouse-ear cress. This protein belongs to the diverse proteome of this model plant organism. Understanding this protein's function contributes to our knowledge of plant molecular biology and potentially agricultural applications. Researchers typically investigate its function through a combination of genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic approaches, with antibody-based detection being a crucial method for studying its expression patterns and interactions .
Antibodies against plant proteins such as At2g30890 are typically generated through several approaches:
Recombinant protein expression: The target protein or a fragment is expressed in bacterial, insect, or mammalian expression systems, purified, and used for immunization.
Synthetic peptide approach: Short peptide sequences (typically 10-20 amino acids) unique to At2g30890 are synthesized, conjugated to carrier proteins like KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanin), and used for immunization.
Immunization protocols: These typically involve multiple injections into host animals (commonly rabbits for polyclonal antibodies or mice for monoclonal antibodies) over several weeks to months.
Screening and purification: The resulting antibodies are screened for specificity using techniques like ELISA, Western blotting, and immunoprecipitation, followed by affinity purification against the antigen to enhance specificity .
The choice between polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies depends on the research application, with polyclonal antibodies offering broader epitope recognition and monoclonal antibodies providing higher specificity for a single epitope.
Comprehensive validation documentation is essential for antibody reliability. For At2g30890 antibody, researchers should expect:
Application-specific validation data: Evidence demonstrating performance in specific applications like Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, or immunohistochemistry.
Validation methodology details: Documentation of the validation methods used, such as orthogonal validation, genetic knockdown, recombinant expression, independent antibodies, and/or capture mass spectrometry analysis.
Species reactivity information: Clear indication of which species the antibody recognizes, particularly important for plant proteins that may have homologs across species.
Positive and negative controls: Data showing reactivity in samples known to express At2g30890 and lack of reactivity in samples without the target.
Lot-specific performance data: Information about consistency between production lots, as antibody performance can vary between batches .
The Human Protein Atlas approach of providing all primary validation data on their website represents an excellent model for antibody documentation, ensuring transparency and reproducibility in research applications.
Validating antibody specificity is crucial for reliable research results. For At2g30890 antibody, implement multiple validation strategies:
Orthogonal validation: Compare protein expression levels detected by the antibody with antibody-independent methods like mass spectrometry or RNA sequencing. A correlation coefficient above 0.5 between antibody-based detection and orthogonal methods indicates good validation .
Genetic validation: Use gene-specific siRNA or CRISPR-Cas9 to knock down At2g30890 expression in your experimental system. A specific antibody will show reduced signal intensity proportional to the knockdown efficiency .
Recombinant expression validation: Overexpress the At2g30890 protein in a system with low endogenous expression. The antibody should detect increased signal at the appropriate molecular weight.
Independent antibody validation: Compare results using two antibodies targeting different epitopes of At2g30890. Concordant results from both antibodies provide strong evidence of specificity .
Capture mass spectrometry: Cut out the band recognized by the antibody in a Western blot and perform mass spectrometry to confirm the presence of At2g30890 peptides within the band .
Implementation of at least two different validation methods is recommended to ensure high confidence in antibody specificity.
Rigorous controls are essential for interpreting Western blot results with At2g30890 antibody:
Positive control: Include a sample known to express At2g30890, such as specific Arabidopsis tissues or cell lines where the protein has been previously detected.
Negative control: Use samples from tissues or experimental conditions where At2g30890 is not expressed, or ideally, from At2g30890 knockout lines if available.
Loading control: Include detection of a housekeeping protein (e.g., actin, tubulin, or GAPDH) to normalize for variations in protein loading and transfer efficiency.
Primary antibody controls:
Omit primary antibody incubation to assess secondary antibody non-specific binding
If available, use pre-immune serum from the same animal used to generate the antibody
Include blocking peptide competition where the primary antibody is pre-incubated with excess target peptide to demonstrate binding specificity
Molecular weight markers: Always include standards to verify that the detected band matches the expected molecular weight of At2g30890 .
The presence of multiple bands should be critically evaluated, as they may represent different isoforms, post-translational modifications, degradation products, or non-specific binding.
When encountering unexpected banding patterns with At2g30890 antibody, systematic troubleshooting is required:
Multiple bands:
Verify if alternate splicing variants or post-translational modifications of At2g30890 exist
Optimize blocking conditions (try different blockers like BSA, milk, or commercial blocking buffers)
Increase washing stringency (longer washes, higher detergent concentration)
Titrate antibody concentration to find optimal dilution
Try different detection systems with varying sensitivity
No bands or weak signal:
Confirm protein extraction efficiency from plant tissues
Verify protein transfer efficiency (use reversible staining like Ponceau S)
Try different antigen retrieval methods if applicable
Increase antibody concentration or incubation time
Use more sensitive detection methods (enhanced chemiluminescence or fluorescent detection)
High background:
Increase blocking time or blocker concentration
Reduce primary and secondary antibody concentrations
Add non-ionic detergents (0.05-0.1% Tween-20) to washing and antibody dilution buffers
Ensure membrane is never allowed to dry during the procedure .
For persistent issues, validation using orthogonal methods or genetic approaches becomes especially important to confirm specificity.
Optimizing immunoprecipitation (IP) with At2g30890 antibody requires attention to several critical parameters:
Lysis buffer optimization:
Test different lysis buffers (RIPA, NP-40, Triton X-100) to find the optimal buffer that preserves At2g30890 protein structure while effectively disrupting cellular components
Consider adding protease inhibitors, phosphatase inhibitors, and EDTA to prevent protein degradation
Optimize salt concentration to balance between maintaining protein-protein interactions and reducing non-specific binding
Antibody coupling strategies:
Direct approach: Covalently couple At2g30890 antibody to activated beads (such as CNBr-activated Sepharose or commercial coupling kits)
Indirect approach: Use Protein A/G beads to capture the antibody-antigen complex
Pre-clear lysates with beads alone to reduce non-specific binding
IP conditions optimization:
Titrate antibody-to-lysate ratio to find optimal concentration
Optimize incubation time and temperature (typically 2-16 hours at 4°C)
Determine optimal washing stringency that removes non-specific binding without disrupting specific interactions
Elution method selection:
Denaturing conditions (SDS buffer with heating) for downstream Western blot analysis
Native conditions (peptide competition, pH change) for activity assays or interaction studies
Validation controls:
Perform IP with non-relevant antibody of the same isotype
Include no-antibody control
If studying protein interactions, validate with reciprocal IP when possible .
For co-immunoprecipitation studies specifically targeting At2g30890 protein interactions, chemical crosslinking prior to cell lysis may help preserve transient or weak interactions.
Effective immunohistochemistry (IHC) with At2g30890 antibody in plant tissues requires specialized approaches:
Tissue fixation and processing:
Test different fixatives (paraformaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, or combinations)
Optimize fixation time to balance antigen preservation and tissue morphology
Consider using vacuum infiltration to ensure fixative penetration in plant tissues
Use appropriate embedding media (paraffin, resin, or cryosectioning) based on the antigen sensitivity
Antigen retrieval methods:
Heat-induced epitope retrieval (citrate or EDTA buffer)
Enzymatic retrieval (proteinase K, trypsin)
Test multiple methods as At2g30890 epitopes may respond differently
Blocking and antibody incubation:
Use plant-specific blocking agents to reduce background (normal serum plus 1-3% BSA)
Include plant powder in blocking solution to absorb antibodies that might cross-react with plant components
Optimize antibody dilution and incubation time (typically 1:50-1:500, overnight at 4°C)
Detection systems:
For brightfield microscopy: HRP-based systems with DAB substrate
For fluorescence: Select fluorophores with spectral properties distinct from plant autofluorescence
Consider signal amplification methods (tyramide signal amplification) for low-abundance proteins
Controls:
Include sections from At2g30890 knockout or knockdown plants if available
Perform peptide competition controls
Include no-primary antibody controls .
When optimizing protocols, begin with tissues known to have high expression of At2g30890 based on transcriptomic data to establish working conditions before examining tissues with potentially lower expression.
Accurate quantification of At2g30890 protein expression requires careful methodology selection and implementation:
Effective sample preparation for At2g30890 detection requires careful consideration of tissue-specific characteristics:
Tissue collection and storage:
Harvest tissues at consistent developmental stages and time of day to control for circadian expression patterns
Flash-freeze collected tissues in liquid nitrogen immediately after harvesting
Store samples at -80°C to preserve protein integrity
Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles that can lead to protein degradation
Protein extraction methods:
For general extraction: Grind tissue to fine powder in liquid nitrogen, then extract in buffer containing 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 150 mM NaCl, 1% Triton X-100, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate, and protease inhibitor cocktail
For membrane proteins: Include 0.1% SDS or specialized detergents like digitonin or n-dodecyl-β-D-maltoside
For nuclear proteins: Use specialized nuclear extraction protocols with nuclear lysis buffers
Sample clarification:
Centrifuge extracts at 14,000 × g for 15 minutes at 4°C
For tough tissues, consider additional clarification steps such as filtration through miracloth
Protein quantification:
Use Bradford, BCA, or similar assays compatible with your extraction buffer
Adjust all samples to equal protein concentration
Sample denaturation:
Add Laemmli buffer and heat at 95°C for 5 minutes for standard SDS-PAGE
For membrane proteins, heating at 70°C for 10 minutes may better preserve protein structure
In some cases, avoid boiling completely if the protein is heat-sensitive .
For tissues with high levels of interfering compounds (phenolics, polysaccharides), consider incorporating polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) in the extraction buffer or using TCA/acetone precipitation to purify proteins before analysis.
Developing multiplexed assays with At2g30890 antibody enables simultaneous analysis of multiple proteins:
Western blot multiplexing:
Use antibodies from different host species (e.g., rabbit anti-At2g30890 with mouse anti-reference protein)
Employ fluorescently-labeled secondary antibodies with distinct emission spectra
Ensure primary antibodies have been validated for multiplexing to avoid cross-reactivity
If using chemiluminescence, sequential detection with stripping between antibodies may be necessary
Immunofluorescence multiplexing:
Select primary antibodies from different host species
Use fluorophore-conjugated secondary antibodies with minimal spectral overlap
Include appropriate controls to assess bleed-through between channels
Consider sequential detection for closely related targets
Multiplex immunoprecipitation:
Use antibody cocktails for co-immunoprecipitation of multiple targets
Validate that antibodies don't interfere with each other's binding
Analyze precipitated proteins using multiplex Western blot or mass spectrometry
Optimization considerations:
Titrate each antibody individually before combining
Verify that detection sensitivity isn't compromised in multiplex format
Ensure reference proteins don't mask detection of At2g30890 due to abundance differences .
For complex plant samples, consider incorporating subcellular fractionation before multiplexed analysis to reduce sample complexity and improve detection of low-abundance proteins.
Ensuring At2g30890 antibody reliability across different experimental conditions requires systematic validation:
Batch-to-batch consistency testing:
Maintain reference samples (positive controls) to test each new antibody lot
Document performance metrics (sensitivity, specificity, background) for comparison
Consider creating a laboratory reference standard of purified At2g30890 protein
Cross-application validation:
Validate the antibody independently for each application (Western blot, IP, IHC)
Don't assume performance in one application predicts performance in another
Document optimal conditions for each application
Environmental variable testing:
Assess antibody performance across relevant temperature ranges
Test buffer system variations (pH, ionic strength)
Evaluate stability after freeze-thaw cycles
Validation across plant growth conditions:
Test antibody performance in plants grown under different light conditions, temperatures, or stress treatments
Verify specificity in plants at different developmental stages
Compare performance in different plant tissues (leaves, roots, flowers, etc.)
Documentation and standardization:
Create detailed protocols specifying validated conditions
Maintain a laboratory database of antibody performance
Include comprehensive validation data in publications .
For collaborative projects, exchange validation samples between laboratories to ensure consistent antibody performance across different experimental settings and operator techniques.
The landscape of antibody applications continues to evolve with promising technologies that may enhance At2g30890 research:
Single-cell proteomics integration:
Combining antibody-based detection with single-cell isolation techniques
Adapting cell-specific antibody labeling for plant protoplasts
Developing microfluidic platforms for high-throughput single-cell protein analysis
Advanced imaging technologies:
Super-resolution microscopy for nanoscale localization of At2g30890
Expansion microscopy adapted for plant cells
Live-cell imaging using minimally disruptive antibody fragments
Antibody engineering advancements:
Development of recombinant antibodies with enhanced specificity
Creation of nanobodies (single-domain antibodies) for improved tissue penetration
CRISPR-based epitope tagging for endogenous protein detection
High-throughput validation platforms:
Computational approaches:
Machine learning algorithms for predicting optimal antibody applications
Integration of antibody-based data with multi-omics datasets
Improved epitope prediction for rational antibody design
These emerging technologies offer exciting possibilities for expanding our understanding of At2g30890's role in plant biology through increasingly precise and comprehensive methodological approaches.
Individual researchers can significantly contribute to improving antibody standards:
Rigorous validation reporting:
Publish detailed validation data for At2g30890 antibody applications
Include all negative results and limitations in publications
Share protocols with specific conditions for optimal performance
Data repositories and sharing:
Submit validation data to community repositories
Share reagents through material transfer agreements or commercial channels
Participate in collaborative validation initiatives
Method standardization:
Adopt the five pillars of antibody validation in your research
Implement minimum reporting standards for antibody experiments
Use consistent nomenclature and terminology across publications
Education and training:
Train students and colleagues in proper antibody validation techniques
Organize workshops or webinars on antibody best practices
Serve as a reviewer advocating for proper antibody documentation
Commercial engagement:
Provide detailed feedback to antibody vendors about performance
Participate in beta testing of new antibody products
Advocate for comprehensive validation data with commercial products . By implementing these practices, researchers working with At2g30890 antibody can contribute to a more robust and reproducible foundation for plant biology research.