CHER1 Antibody

Molecular and Functional Characterization of CHER1

CHER1 is a membrane protein with 10 predicted transmembrane domains and homology to choline transporter-like (CTL) proteins in animals . Key features include:

CHER1 mutants (cher1-1, cher1-2, cher1-3) exhibit 40–51% reductions in choline (Cho) and phosphocholine (PCho) levels, indicating its role in maintaining choline metabolite pools .

Role in Phloem Development

CHER1 is indispensable for sieve plate formation and phloem continuity:

• Sieve Plate Defects: Mutants show structurally altered pores and reduced symplastic transport of GFP from companion cells to sieve elements .

• Developmental Regulation: CHER1 exhibits polar localization during cytokinesis and interacts with dynamin-related proteins (DRP1A/DRP1C) involved in vesicle trafficking .

• BFA Sensitivity: CHER1 polarization in sieve elements depends on Brefeldin A-sensitive vesicle recycling mechanisms .

Antibody Applications in CHER1 Research

Though no commercial CHER1 antibodies are explicitly documented, studies suggest methodologies where such antibodies would be critical:

• Localization Studies: GFP/YFP-tagged CHER1 fusion proteins (e.g., pEPM::CHER1-YFP) reveal TGN and phragmoplast association .

• Phenotypic Validation: Antibodies could confirm CHER1 loss-of-function in mutants via Western blot or immunostaining.

• Interaction Mapping: Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) experiments to identify CHER1-binding partners (e.g., DRP1A/DRP1C) .

Comparative Analysis with Other CTL Proteins

CHER1 belongs to a CTL protein family distinct from other Arabidopsis CTLs:

Implications for Antibody Development

Designing CHER1-specific antibodies would require epitopes in:

• Extracellular Loops: For membrane localization studies.

• C-Terminal Domains: To track phosphorylation or protein interactions.

• Conserved Regions: For cross-species reactivity in plant biology research.