CDKE-1 Antibody recognizes Cyclin-dependent kinase E-1 (CDKE1), encoded by the AT5G63610 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana. This kinase shares sequence similarity with plant and animal cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and contains a conserved SPTAIRE cyclin-binding motif critical for its interaction with cyclins . CDKE1 integrates mitochondrial retrograde signals with energy and stress-response pathways, acting as a molecular switch between growth and stress adaptation .
CDKE-1 Antibody has been utilized in diverse experimental workflows:
Detects endogenous CDKE1 in mitochondrial extracts from Arabidopsis under stress (e.g., antimycin A treatment or UV exposure) .
Validation includes serial dilutions to ensure linear signal response .
GFP tagging and bimolecular fluorescence complementation confirmed CDKE1’s nuclear and mitochondrial localization .
Co-staining with mitochondrial markers (e.g., mCherry) and DAPI validated dual localization .
CDKE1 knockout mutants (rao1) showed disrupted alternative oxidase (AOX1a) expression, linking it to mitochondrial retrograde signaling .
Mediates responses to oxidative stress (H₂O₂) and cold, acting downstream of energy-sensing kinases .
CDKE1 integrates mitochondrial dysfunction signals with nuclear stress responses, enabling plants to prioritize stress tolerance over growth . For example:
Antimycin A (AA)-induced stress: CDKE1 upregulates AOX1a to mitigate mitochondrial electron transport chain disruption .
Cold stress: CDKE1 modulates transcriptional reprogramming via interactions with energy-sensing kinases .
CDKE1 interacts with:
Cyclins: Via its SPTAIRE motif, facilitating cell cycle regulation .
Stress-activated kinases: Integrates signals from pathways involving H₂O₂ and sucrose non-fermenting-related kinase 1 (SnRK1) .
Species specificity: Validated in Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica rapa, and Brassica napus .
Controls: Nuclear (DAPI) and mitochondrial (TOM40) markers ensure localization accuracy .
CDKE-1 (Cyclin-dependent kinase E-1) belongs to the family of cyclin-dependent kinases with significant sequence similarity to both plant and animal CDKs. It's classified as an E-type CDK and is also known by several synonyms including CDKE;1, ATCDK8, CDK8, and HUA ENHANCER 3 (HEN3) . Unlike some CDKs that can be functionally compensated for, CDKE-1 plays essential roles in cellular processes beyond simple cell cycle regulation. Similar to other critical CDKs like CDK1, CDKE-1 is involved in multiple cellular pathways including gene expression regulation and potentially apoptosis, making it vital for cell survival .
CDKE-1 antibodies are valuable research tools for multiple applications, including:
Western blotting - For detecting and quantifying CDKE-1 protein expression in cell or tissue lysates
Immunoprecipitation - To isolate CDKE-1 and its interacting proteins
Immunofluorescence microscopy - For visualizing subcellular localization
Flow cytometry - To analyze CDKE-1 expression across cell populations
Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) - For identifying genomic regions where CDKE-1 might be involved in transcriptional regulation
These applications are analogous to established protocols for other CDKs, such as those used for measuring CDK1/cyclin B activity through specific antibody-based approaches . The advantage of these antibody-based methods is that they don't require radioisotopes, making them accessible to standard cell and molecular biology laboratories.
Distinguishing between active and inactive CDKE-1 requires methodologies that detect its phosphorylation state and association with cyclins. Drawing from established CDK research, several approaches are recommended:
Phospho-specific antibodies: Use antibodies that specifically recognize the phosphorylated/dephosphorylated regulatory residues of CDKE-1 (likely Thr and Tyr residues similar to the Tyr15 and Thr14 in CDK1) .
In vitro kinase assays: Adapt methods similar to those used for CDK1/cyclin B using recombinant substrate proteins, specific antibodies, and western blot detection:
| Assay Component | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Substrate | Recombinant protein with CDKE-1 consensus phosphorylation sites |
| Detection | Phospho-specific antibodies against substrate |
| Controls | Non-phosphorylatable substrate mutants |
| Inhibition | ATP-competitive or allosteric inhibitors |
Co-immunoprecipitation: To identify which cyclins are associated with CDKE-1 in its active state .
Proximity ligation assays: To visualize CDKE-1-cyclin interactions in situ within intact cells.
Inconsistent results with CDKE-1 antibodies can arise from multiple sources. Based on established antibody methodologies:
Antibody validation: Confirm antibody specificity through knockout/knockdown controls and competition assays with immunizing peptides. Commercial CDKE-1 antibodies should be validated against recombinant CDKE-1 protein .
Protocol optimization matrix:
| Variable | Optimization Strategy |
|---|---|
| Fixation | Test multiple fixatives (PFA, methanol) and durations |
| Blocking | Compare different blocking agents (BSA, serum, commercial blockers) |
| Antibody concentration | Perform titration series (typically 0.1-10 μg/ml) |
| Incubation conditions | Test various temperatures (4°C, RT) and durations |
| Detection systems | Compare amplification methods (HRP, fluorescent, biotin-streptavidin) |
Cell/tissue-specific considerations: CDKE-1 expression and post-translational modifications may vary by cell type, requiring different antibody concentrations or epitope retrieval methods.
Cross-reactivity assessment: Test antibody against related CDKs to ensure specificity, particularly when working with complex samples .
CDKE-1 dysregulation has been implicated in various pathological processes. Based on knowledge from related CDKs:
Cancer progression: Similar to CDK1, aberrant CDKE-1 expression or activation may contribute to uncontrolled cell proliferation and resistance to anti-cancer treatments .
Developmental disorders: Given the essential role of CDKs in cellular homeostasis, CDKE-1 dysfunction may impact developmental processes.
Immune dysregulation: As CDKs regulate gene expression, CDKE-1 may influence immune signaling pathways.
Research examining these relationships should employ:
Gene expression profiling of CDKE-1 across disease states
Correlation analysis between CDKE-1 activity and disease progression markers
Functional studies using CDKE-1 inhibitors or genetic manipulation
Generating high-quality hybridomas for anti-CDKE-1 antibody production requires a systematic approach similar to successful hybridoma generation for other targets:
Immunization strategy:
Fusion protocol:
Clone selection criteria:
| Selection Parameter | Method |
|---|---|
| Binding affinity | Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) |
| Specificity | Western blot against various cell lysates |
| Functional activity | Blocking assays (if applicable) |
| Isotype | Isotype-specific ELISA |
| Yield | Protein quantification of supernatant |
Purification: Utilize protein A columns for antibody purification, similar to methods described for other monoclonal antibodies .
Converting murine anti-CDKE-1 antibodies to chimeric or humanized formats involves molecular cloning approaches that have been successful for other antibodies:
Chimeric antibody generation:
Isolate RNA from hybridoma cells expressing anti-CDKE-1
Use RACE/RT-PCR techniques to clone heavy and light variable regions
Insert these regions into separate expression vectors containing human IgG1 constant regions
Co-transfect vectors into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells
Select stable cell lines secreting full-length chimeric antibodies
Humanization strategy:
Determine complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) through sequence analysis
Graft murine CDRs onto human framework regions
Perform back-mutations of key framework residues to maintain binding properties
Express in mammalian cells and screen for retained binding
Quality control assessments:
Compare binding affinities between original murine and engineered antibodies
Assess thermal stability
Evaluate potential immunogenicity through in silico analysis
Accurate quantification of CDKE-1 expression requires complementary approaches:
Flow cytometry with QIFIKIT standardization:
Western blotting with standard curves:
qRT-PCR for mRNA quantification:
Design primers specific to CDKE-1 transcript
Normalize to appropriate housekeeping genes
Correlate mRNA and protein levels to understand regulatory mechanisms
Interpreting CDKE-1 activity requires contextualizing it within the broader cell cycle regulatory network:
Activity profiling across cell cycle phases:
Comparative analysis with other CDKs:
| Cell Cycle Phase | CDKE-1 Activity | CDK1 Activity | CDK2 Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | [Measured data] | Low | Increasing |
| S | [Measured data] | Low | High |
| G2 | [Measured data] | Increasing | Decreasing |
| M | [Measured data] | High | Low |
Inhibitor studies: Use selective CDK inhibitors to dissect specific contributions of CDKE-1 versus other CDKs in cell cycle progression
Substrate phosphorylation analysis: Monitor phosphorylation of CDKE-1-specific substrates as indicators of activity
Rigorous statistical analysis is essential for CDKE-1 antibody experiments:
Sources of variability:
Biological variability between samples
Technical variability in antibody performance
Instrument and detection system variability
Recommended statistical approaches:
| Experiment Type | Statistical Method | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Western blot quantification | ANOVA with post-hoc tests | Include technical replicates |
| Flow cytometry | Non-parametric tests for non-normal distributions | Minimum 10,000 events |
| Microscopy quantification | Mixed-effects models | Account for field-to-field variability |
| Activity assays | Regression analysis | Establish linearity range |
Power analysis: Determine appropriate sample sizes based on expected effect sizes and variability
Control for multiple comparisons: Apply Bonferroni, Tukey, or false discovery rate corrections when testing multiple hypotheses
Integration of CDKE-1 data with -omics approaches provides systems-level insights:
Integration with phosphoproteomics:
Identify phosphorylation sites with the consensus CDK motif (S/T-P-X-K/R)
Correlate changes in phosphosite abundance with CDKE-1 activity
Use phosphoproteomic data to discover novel CDKE-1 substrates
Transcriptomic correlation analysis:
Compare CDKE-1 expression/activity with gene expression programs
Identify genes whose expression correlates with CDKE-1 status
Perform pathway enrichment analysis on correlated genes
Network analysis approaches:
Construct protein-protein interaction networks centered on CDKE-1
Integrate phosphorylation data to create directional signaling networks
Apply graph theory metrics to identify key nodes influenced by CDKE-1
Advancing CDKE-1 research will benefit from cutting-edge technologies:
Single-cell analysis methods:
Single-cell western blotting for CDKE-1 protein quantification
Mass cytometry (CyTOF) with metal-conjugated anti-CDKE-1 antibodies
Single-cell kinase activity assays to measure CDKE-1 function
Proximity-based assays:
BioID or APEX2 proximity labeling fused to CDKE-1
Split-protein complementation assays to study CDKE-1 interactions
FRET/BRET biosensors to monitor CDKE-1 activity in real-time
Advanced imaging approaches:
Super-resolution microscopy for detailed localization studies
Lattice light-sheet microscopy for dynamic CDKE-1 tracking
Correlative light and electron microscopy for ultrastructural context
CDKE-1 research has significant therapeutic implications:
Therapeutic targeting strategies:
Development of selective CDKE-1 inhibitors
Evaluation of synthetic lethality approaches combining CDKE-1 inhibition with other targeted therapies
Exploration of CDKE-1 degraders using PROTAC technology
Biomarker potential:
Evaluation of CDKE-1 expression or activity as prognostic/predictive biomarkers in cancer
Correlation of CDKE-1 status with treatment response
Immunotherapy applications: