CYP71A13 is a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase enzyme critical for camalexin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana, a defense compound against necrotrophic pathogens like Alternaria brassicicola and Botrytis cinerea. The CYP71A13 antibody refers to immunological tools (e.g., polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies) designed to detect and study this enzyme’s expression, localization, and interactions in plant research. While direct commercial availability of CYP71A13-specific antibodies is not explicitly documented in the provided sources, its role in biochemical pathways and regulatory networks is well-established through genetic, biochemical, and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) studies.
CYP71A13 catalyzes the conversion of indole-3-acetaldoxime (IAOx) to indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN), a pivotal step in camalexin production . This reaction is critical for channeling intermediates into the camalexin pathway and avoiding toxic side products.
| Enzyme | Substrate | Product | Key Interaction Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| CYP71A13 | IAOx | IAN | CYP71B15, CYP79B2, ATR1 |
| CYP71B15 (PAD3) | Dihydrocamalexic acid | Camalexin | CYP71A13, CYP71A12 |
CYP71A13 interacts with CYP71B15 (PAD3) and CYP79B2 (Trp conversion enzyme) in a metabolon complex, ensuring efficient substrate channeling .
CYP71A13 also interacts with Arabidopsis P450 Reductase1 (ATR1), a cytochrome P450 reductase essential for electron transfer .
Camalexin deficiency: cyp71a13 mutants show reduced camalexin production and increased susceptibility to A. brassicicola .
Co-regulation with PAD3: CYP71A13 and PAD3 are transcriptionally co-regulated by WRKY33, a transcription factor activated during pathogen infection .
Protein interactions: CYP71A13 co-purifies with CYP71B15, CYP71A12, and GSTU4 in microsomal fractions, as shown through co-IP and FRET-FLIM .
Subcellular localization: CYP71A13-GFP fusion proteins localize to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), co-localizing with ER markers (e.g., RFP-HDEL) and other P450 enzymes .
Yeast expression: CYP71A13 converts IAOx to IAN with NADPH-dependent activity. In the presence of glutathione, side products like GS-IAN are formed .
Kinetic parameters: Turnover rates and substrate affinity (K<sub>m</sub>) for CYP71A13 and its homologs (e.g., CYP71A12) are measured via HPLC and Michaelis-Menten kinetics .
While the provided sources do not explicitly describe commercial CYP71A13 antibodies, antibodies for related proteins (e.g., CYP71B15, WRKY33) are used in immunoprecipitation, Western blotting, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays . For CYP71A13-specific antibodies, researchers likely employ:
Polyclonal antibodies: Raised against recombinant CYP71A13 protein for Western blot detection.
Tagged fusion proteins: GFP/YFP-tagged CYP71A13 constructs enable pull-down assays and fluorescence microscopy .
WRKY33: Binds directly to the PAD3 promoter and indirectly regulates CYP71A13 during pathogen-induced camalexin biosynthesis .
MPK4: A MAP kinase upstream of WRKY33, linking stress signaling to camalexin production .
CYP71A13 catalyzes the conversion of indole acetaldoxime to indole-3-acetonitrile within the camalexin biosynthetic pathway. This enzymatic activity further supports camalexin's role in defense against A. brassicicola. PMID: 17573535
Method: Combine Western blot analysis with cyp71a13 knockout mutants and heterologous expression systems.
Key validation steps:
Test antibody reactivity against microsomal fractions from Arabidopsis wild-type vs. cyp71a13 mutants
Coexpress CYP71A13-YFP/FLAG tags in N. benthamiana and confirm colocalization with ER markers via fluorescence microscopy
Perform competitive ELISA with recombinant CYP71A12 (89% sequence homology) to rule out cross-reactivity
Advanced approach: Use Förster resonance energy transfer-fluorescence lifetime imaging (FRET-FLIM) with:
| Observation | Leaf tissue | Root tissue |
|---|---|---|
| Camalexin levels in cyp71a13 mutants | 12–20% of wild-type | 85–90% of wild-type |
| Compensatory mechanism | CYP71A12 partially substitutes | CYP71A18 contributes |
Targeted co-IP with crosslinkers like DSP (dithiobis[succinimidyl propionate]) to stabilize weak interactions
Enzymatic activity assays: Measure IAOx → IAN conversion rates in presence/absence of CYP79B2 (KM reduced from 48 μM to 12 μM when coexpressed)
Single-molecule tracking: Use quantum dot-labeled antibodies to monitor real-time complex formation
Critical factor: Bivalent chromatin marks (H3K27me3 + H3K18ac) at the CYP71A13 locus affect antibody detection sensitivity
Protocol adjustment:
Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP): Use IAOx-biotin probes to label functional CYP71A13
Immunogold TEM: Quantify ER-localized CYP71A13 in pad3 vs. wild-type chloroplasts
Structural validation: Compare antibody epitope mapping (aa 150–200) with AlphaFold2-predicted epitopes
Essential controls: