C2orf76 antibodies are immunological reagents designed to detect the human protein encoded by the C2orf76 gene (UniProt ID: Q3KRA6, Entrez Gene ID: 130355). These antibodies enable researchers to study the protein’s expression across tissues, subcellular localization, and interactions. The gene’s exact biological function remains under investigation, but its widespread expression suggests roles in basic cellular processes .
Validation of C2orf76 antibodies involves rigorous testing to ensure specificity and reproducibility. Key methods include:
Immunogen Design: Most commercial antibodies target recombinant fragments of C2orf76, such as residues 1–126 .
Specificity Controls: Blocking peptides (e.g., N-terminal peptides) are used to confirm antibody-antigen binding .
Cross-Reactivity Screening: Antibodies are tested against protein arrays and cell lysates from knockout models to minimize off-target binding .
C2orf76 antibodies are employed in diverse experimental workflows:
Immunoblotting (WB): Detects endogenous C2orf76 in human cell lysates (e.g., HEK-293, HeLa) .
Immunohistochemistry (IHC): Localizes C2orf76 in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues .
Immunofluorescence (IF): Visualizes cytoplasmic localization in cultured cells .
Immunoprecipitation (IP): Isolates C2orf76 complexes for interactome studies .
Subcellular Localization: C2orf76 is predominantly cytoplasmic, with no nuclear signal observed in validated studies .
Expression Profiles: Widely expressed in human tissues, including brain, liver, and immune cells, though proteomic data remain limited .
Technical Challenges: Some antibodies exhibit cross-reactivity with non-target proteins, emphasizing the need for knockout controls .
Specificity Issues: Antibodies like HPA023873 (Sigma) may detect non-specific bands in immunoblots without proper validation .
Validation Gaps: Few studies have rigorously tested C2orf76 antibodies in in vivo models or disease contexts.
Reagent Costs: High-quality monoclonal antibodies (e.g., Prestige Antibodies®) are expensive, limiting accessibility .
Functional Studies: Link C2orf76 expression to cellular pathways using CRISPR-modified cell lines.
Disease Associations: Explore roles in cancer or immune disorders via tissue microarray screens.
Antibody Engineering: Develop monoclonal antibodies with higher affinity and lower cross-reactivity.
C2orf76 (Chromosome 2 Open Reading Frame 76) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 2 in humans. While specific information about C2orf76 function is limited in the provided search results, researchers typically investigate such proteins to understand their role in cellular processes, disease mechanisms, and potential therapeutic targets. The study of C2orf76 would require specialized antibodies for detection and characterization in various experimental settings.
When approaching research on relatively understudied proteins like C2orf76, it's essential to begin with expression pattern analysis across different tissues and cell lines to establish biological context. This initial characterization helps inform experimental design and interpretation of results in subsequent studies. Researchers should consider consulting proteomics databases to identify cell lines with detectable expression levels before designing experiments.
Validating antibody specificity is critical for obtaining reliable results. The most robust approach involves comparing immunoblot results between parental cell lines and those with C2orf76 knocked out using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. This knockout (KO) control provides definitive evidence of antibody specificity.
The validation procedure should follow these steps:
Identify cell lines expressing C2orf76 using proteomics databases (e.g., PaxDB)
Generate CRISPR/Cas9 knockout cell lines for C2orf76
Run parallel immunoblots comparing parental and KO cell lines
Confirm specific bands present in parental lines are absent in KO lines
Validate across multiple experimental conditions and applications
This comprehensive validation approach ensures that observed signals are genuinely attributable to C2orf76 rather than non-specific binding or cross-reactivity with other proteins .
Commercial C2orf76 antibodies, such as those from Atlas Antibodies, are typically validated for multiple applications including immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunocytochemistry-immunofluorescence (ICC-IF), and Western blot (WB) . When selecting an antibody, researchers should verify that it has been validated specifically for their intended application.
For each application, different validation criteria apply:
For Western blot: Specific band at expected molecular weight, absent in KO controls
For ICC-IF: Specific cellular staining pattern, absent in KO controls
For IHC: Specific tissue staining, appropriate controls (including antigen competition)
Researchers should consult the manufacturer's validation data and, ideally, perform their own validation in their specific experimental system .
Determining the optimal cell line for C2orf76 studies requires a systematic approach:
A quantitative immunoblot comparison table of C2orf76 expression across cell lines might look like this:
Cell Line | Relative Expression (A.U.) | Ease of Culture | CRISPR Efficiency | Recommendation |
---|---|---|---|---|
HEK-293 | ++ | High | High | Good for initial studies |
U2OS | +++ | Medium | High | Optimal for most applications |
HeLa | + | High | Medium | Limited utility |
A549 | ++ | Medium | Medium | Useful for lung-specific studies |
This systematic approach ensures selection of the most appropriate experimental system for your specific research questions .
Determining C2orf76 subcellular localization requires complementary approaches to ensure reliability:
Immunofluorescence with KO controls: The gold standard approach involves:
Creating mosaic cultures of wildtype and C2orf76 KO cells
Different fluorescent markers (e.g., LAMP1-YFP vs. LAMP1-RFP) to distinguish cell types
Antibody staining with far-red secondary antibodies (e.g., Alexa Fluor 647)
Confocal microscopy analysis to verify staining specificity
Cell fractionation and immunoblot: This biochemical approach provides complementary evidence:
Separate cellular compartments (cytosol, membrane, nucleus, etc.)
Perform immunoblot analysis of each fraction
Include compartment-specific markers as controls
Tagged-protein expression: For additional validation:
Express epitope-tagged C2orf76 (with careful consideration of tag position)
Compare localization of tagged protein with antibody staining patterns
Use inducible systems to avoid artifacts from overexpression
This multi-modal approach can reveal potential artifacts in any single method and provide higher confidence in localization results .
Identification of C2orf76 binding partners requires careful experimental design:
Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry:
Validate antibody efficiency for immunoprecipitation
Use C2orf76 KO cell lines as negative controls
Analyze both bound and unbound fractions
Perform mass spectrometry on immunoprecipitates
Filter out proteins present in KO immunoprecipitates
Proximity labeling approaches:
Express C2orf76 fused to BioID or APEX2
Perform proximity-dependent biotinylation
Purify biotinylated proteins and identify by mass spectrometry
Validate key interactions by co-immunoprecipitation
Validation of interactions:
Perform reciprocal immunoprecipitations
Test interactions in multiple cell types
Consider functional validation through co-localization studies
For analysis of mass spectrometry data, proteins uniquely identified in wildtype samples (absent in KO samples) represent potential authentic binding partners, while those present in both samples likely represent non-specific interactions .
The choice of fixation and permeabilization methods can significantly impact antibody performance in immunofluorescence applications:
Fixation comparison:
4% paraformaldehyde (PFA): Preserves cell morphology but may mask some epitopes
Cold methanol: Better for some antibodies, particularly those recognizing conformational epitopes
Compare both methods to determine optimal conditions for C2orf76 detection
Permeabilization options:
Triton X-100 (0.1-0.3%): Good general permeabilization
Saponin (0.1%): Gentler, reversible permeabilization
Digitonin (10-50 μg/ml): Selective permeabilization of plasma membrane
Optimization protocol:
Test fixation times (10-20 minutes)
Compare permeabilization reagents and concentrations
Optimize antibody concentration (typically starting at 2 μg/ml)
Test different blocking solutions (BSA vs. serum-based)
Researchers should systematically test these conditions to determine the optimal protocol for their specific C2orf76 antibody. Document findings in a standardized format to ensure reproducibility across experiments .
Non-specific binding is a common challenge with antibodies. Systematic troubleshooting includes:
Titration of antibody concentration:
Test serial dilutions to identify optimal concentration
Balance specific signal versus background
Use quantitative signal-to-noise measurements
Blocking optimization:
Compare different blocking agents (BSA, milk, normal serum)
Test blocking duration (1-2 hours or overnight)
Consider commercial blocking solutions
Washing protocol refinement:
Increase number of washes
Extend washing duration
Add detergents (Tween-20, Triton X-100) at appropriate concentrations
Sample preparation considerations:
Ensure complete protein denaturation for immunoblots
Optimize antigen retrieval for tissues
Consider epitope masking issues
Controls to implement:
C2orf76 knockout cells/tissues
Primary antibody omission
Isotype controls
Peptide competition assays
Systematic documentation of these optimization steps will help establish a robust protocol for specific C2orf76 detection .
Accurate quantification of C2orf76 expression requires appropriate methodologies:
Western blot quantification:
Use total protein normalization (e.g., REVERT total protein stain) rather than housekeeping proteins
Employ fluorescent secondary antibodies for wider linear range
Use imaging systems like LI-COR Odyssey for quantification
Include standard curves with recombinant protein if absolute quantification is needed
Immunofluorescence quantification:
Use automated image analysis software
Establish clear criteria for positive cells/structures
Perform blind analysis to avoid bias
Include appropriate controls for autofluorescence
RNA expression analysis:
qPCR with validated primers
RNA-seq for global expression patterns
Correlation of RNA and protein levels
Statistical considerations:
Perform power analysis to determine sample size
Use appropriate statistical tests for data type
Account for biological and technical replicates
Consider batch effects in analysis
This comprehensive approach to quantification ensures reliable and reproducible results when analyzing C2orf76 expression across experimental conditions .