The At1g17350 antibody (Product Code: CSB-PA888777XA01DOA) is a polyclonal antibody developed against the Arabidopsis thaliana TIM23-1 protein, encoded by the At1g17350 locus . This protein belongs to the translocase of the inner mitochondrial membrane (TIM23) complex, which facilitates the import of nuclear-encoded proteins with N-terminal presequences into mitochondria .
The TIM23 complex mediates the translocation of presequence-containing proteins across the inner mitochondrial membrane. Key findings include:
Gene Duplication: At1g17350 shares 83% protein identity with At1g72750 (TIM23-2), suggesting functional redundancy .
Subcellular Localization: Immunological analyses confirm mitochondrial localization via in vitro protein uptake assays and in vivo GFP tagging .
Protein Interaction: TIM23-1 collaborates with TIM17-like proteins to form a channel for precursor protein import .
Western Blot: Detects a ~43 kDa band in mitochondrial extracts, consistent with TIM23-1’s glycosylated form .
Knockout Studies: At1g17350 knockout lines show impaired mitochondrial protein import, confirming its essential role .
The At1g17350 antibody has been utilized in:
Mitochondrial Proteomics: Identification of TIM23 complex components in Arabidopsis .
Functional Studies: Investigating protein import defects in mitochondrial dysfunction mutants .
Comparative Analysis: Characterizing evolutionary divergence between TIM23 isoforms in plants vs. mammals .
Specificity: Validated using mitochondrial extracts from wild-type and TIM23 knockout lines .
Cross-Reactivity: No cross-reactivity observed with non-mitochondrial proteins in Arabidopsis .
Limitations: Requires validation via genetic controls (e.g., knockout lines) due to potential background signals in complex tissue extracts .
Current gaps include structural studies of the TIM23-1 complex and its role in stress responses. Dual localization studies with TIM23-2 could clarify functional redundancy in Arabidopsis .
The At1g17350 locus in Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a protein that functions within plant cellular processes. Similar to other plant proteins like NPR1 (NONEXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES 1) and ATG6 (AUTOPHAGY-RELATED PROTEIN 6), the protein encoded by At1g17350 may be involved in plant immunity or developmental pathways . For proper characterization studies, researchers typically use antibodies raised against specific peptide sequences of the target protein, similar to how antibodies against AGO1 are developed using KLH-conjugated N-terminal peptides of the Arabidopsis thaliana AGO1 protein .
For optimal performance, store lyophilized antibody at -20°C until ready for use. When reconstituting, add approximately 50 μl of sterile water to the lyophilized powder and allow it to dissolve completely. After reconstitution, make small aliquots to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles that can degrade antibody quality. Always spin tubes briefly before opening to collect any material that might adhere to the cap or sides . For long-term storage of reconstituted antibody, keep aliquots at -20°C and avoid storing diluted antibody solutions for extended periods.
Based on similar plant protein antibodies, the At1g17350 antibody would likely be suitable for multiple experimental applications including:
Western blot (WB) analysis for protein detection
Immunofluorescence (IF) for protein localization studies
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) for protein-DNA interaction studies
Immunolocalization (IL) for tissue-specific expression analysis
The selection of application should be determined by your specific research question, with appropriate optimization of antibody concentration for each technique.
For optimal Western blot results with At1g17350 antibody, follow this research-validated protocol:
Transfer proteins to a membrane (PVDF or nitrocellulose) following SDS-PAGE separation
Block membranes for 1 hour with 5% low-fat milk powder in TBS-TT buffer (0.25% TWEEN20; 0.1% Triton-X)
Probe with primary At1g17350 antibody at a 1:10,000 dilution in blocking solution for 1 hour
Wash membranes thoroughly with TBS-TT buffer (3-5 washes, 5 minutes each)
Incubate with HRP-conjugated secondary anti-rabbit antibody at 1:10,000 dilution for 1 hour
Wash thoroughly and develop using chemiluminescence detection
For plant samples, grinding tissue in liquid nitrogen followed by extraction in a buffer containing protease inhibitors is recommended to preserve protein integrity and enhance detection sensitivity.
To confirm antibody specificity, implement these validation approaches:
Knockout/knockdown controls: Compare protein detection between wild-type plants and those with reduced At1g17350 expression (using T-DNA insertion lines, CRISPR/Cas9 editing, or RNA silencing approaches similar to amiRNA techniques used for ATG6)
Peptide competition assay: Pre-incubate the antibody with excess immunogenic peptide before application to your samples; specific signal should be significantly reduced
Multiple antibody comparison: If available, test another antibody raised against a different epitope of the same protein
Heterologous expression: Detect recombinant At1g17350 protein expressed in a system lacking endogenous expression
Mass spectrometry validation: Perform immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry to confirm the identity of the pulled-down protein
For immunofluorescence studies in plant tissues:
Fix fresh tissue samples in 4% paraformaldehyde for 1-2 hours at room temperature
Wash thoroughly with PBS (3-5 times, 10 minutes each)
Permeabilize cells with 0.1-0.5% Triton X-100 in PBS for 15-30 minutes
Block with 5% BSA or normal serum in PBS for 1 hour
Incubate with At1g17350 antibody at 1:100 to 1:500 dilution overnight at 4°C
Wash thoroughly with PBS (3-5 times, 10 minutes each)
Incubate with fluorophore-conjugated secondary antibody at manufacturer's recommended dilution (typically 1:200 to 1:1000) for 1-2 hours at room temperature
Counterstain nuclei with DAPI if desired
Mount slides with anti-fade mounting medium
This protocol can be adapted for studying protein localization similar to how ATG6 and NPR1 colocalization was studied in plant cells .
For investigating protein-protein interactions involving the At1g17350 protein:
Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP):
Prepare plant tissue lysate in a mild lysis buffer containing protease inhibitors
Pre-clear lysate with Protein A/G beads
Incubate pre-cleared lysate with At1g17350 antibody overnight at 4°C
Add Protein A/G beads and incubate for 2-4 hours
Wash beads thoroughly and elute bound proteins
Analyze by SDS-PAGE followed by Western blotting for potential interacting partners
Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC):
Clone At1g17350 and candidate interacting protein into BiFC vectors
Co-express in plant cells (via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation)
Validate protein expression using the At1g17350 antibody by Western blot
Visualize fluorescence to confirm interaction
Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA):
Use At1g17350 antibody alongside antibodies against suspected interacting proteins
Follow PLA protocol to visualize proximal proteins within cells
These approaches can reveal functional relationships similar to those observed between ATG6 and NPR1, which were shown to interact directly and synergistically enhance plant immunity .
For successful ChIP experiments with At1g17350 antibody:
Crosslinking and Chromatin Preparation:
Crosslink plant tissue with 1% formaldehyde for 10-15 minutes
Quench with 0.125 M glycine
Extract and sonicate chromatin to fragments of 200-500 bp
Confirm fragmentation by agarose gel electrophoresis
Immunoprecipitation:
Pre-clear chromatin with Protein A/G beads
Incubate pre-cleared chromatin with At1g17350 antibody (5-10 μg per reaction) overnight at 4°C
Add Protein A/G beads and incubate for 2-4 hours
Wash thoroughly with increasingly stringent buffers
Reverse crosslinks and purify DNA
Controls:
Include no-antibody control (mock IP)
Include IgG control
Use positive control regions (known targets)
Include input chromatin samples
Analysis:
Perform qPCR for candidate target regions
Or proceed with ChIP-seq for genome-wide analysis
This approach would be particularly valuable if At1g17350 is involved in transcriptional regulation, similar to how NPR1 interacts with transcription factors in the nucleus to activate expression of downstream target genes .
To investigate protein stability and degradation mechanisms:
Cycloheximide Chase Assay:
Treat plant samples with cycloheximide (100 μM) to inhibit protein synthesis
Collect samples at different time points (0, 1, 2, 4, 8 hours)
Analyze At1g17350 protein levels by Western blot
Calculate protein half-life based on degradation rates
Proteasome Inhibitor Studies:
Treat samples with MG115 (100 μM) or MG132 to inhibit proteasomal degradation
Compare At1g17350 protein levels in treated versus untreated samples
Determine if protein is subject to proteasomal degradation
Autophagy Inhibitor Studies:
Cell-free Degradation Assays:
Prepare plant cell extracts containing native At1g17350 protein
Incubate extracts with various inhibitors under controlled conditions
Monitor protein degradation over time by Western blot
This experimental design can reveal regulatory mechanisms controlling At1g17350 protein levels, similar to studies showing that ATG6 can maintain the stability of NPR1 through autophagy-independent mechanisms .
When facing weak or absent signal in experiments:
| Problem | Potential Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| No signal in Western blot | Insufficient protein | Increase sample loading (20-40 μg total protein) |
| Inefficient transfer | Optimize transfer conditions (time, voltage, buffer) | |
| Antibody concentration too low | Increase primary antibody concentration (1:5,000 or 1:2,000) | |
| Protein degradation | Add fresh protease inhibitors during extraction | |
| High background | Insufficient blocking | Extend blocking time to 2 hours |
| Antibody concentration too high | Dilute primary antibody further | |
| Insufficient washing | Increase number and duration of washes | |
| Multiple bands | Protein degradation | Use fresh samples and protease inhibitors |
| Post-translational modifications | Verify with phosphatase treatment if phosphorylation is suspected | |
| Cross-reactivity | Perform peptide competition assay to confirm specificity |
For immunofluorescence applications:
Ensure proper tissue permeabilization
Try antigen retrieval methods if signal is weak
Optimize antibody concentration specifically for immunofluorescence
Reduce autofluorescence with treatments like sodium borohydride or TrueBlack
For accurate protein quantification:
Sample Preparation Standardization:
Harvest tissues at the same developmental stage and time of day
Process all samples simultaneously using identical protocols
Include multiple biological replicates (minimum 3)
Western Blot Quantification:
Include a standard curve of recombinant protein if available
Load equal amounts of total protein (verify by Ponceau S staining)
Use a housekeeping protein control (like Actin, GAPDH, or Tubulin)
Ensure signal is within linear detection range of your imaging system
Normalization Methods:
Calculate relative expression as: (At1g17350 signal / housekeeping protein signal)
Or use total protein normalization methods like Stain-Free technology
Statistical Analysis:
Perform appropriate statistical tests (t-test, ANOVA) on replicate data
Report mean values with standard deviation or standard error
Expression Level Comparison Table:
| Treatment Condition | Relative At1g17350 Expression (Mean ± SD) | Statistical Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Control (untreated) | 1.00 ± 0.12 | Reference |
| Treatment 1 | [Value] ± [SD] | p < [value] |
| Treatment 2 | [Value] ± [SD] | p < [value] |
| Treatment 3 | [Value] ± [SD] | p < [value] |
This quantification approach allows for reliable comparison of At1g17350 protein levels across different experimental treatments.
For rigorous experimental design, include these essential controls:
Western Blot Controls:
Positive control (tissue/cell type known to express At1g17350)
Negative control (knockout/knockdown line if available)
Loading control (housekeeping protein or total protein stain)
Molecular weight marker to confirm expected protein size
Immunofluorescence Controls:
Secondary antibody-only control (omit primary antibody)
Peptide competition control (pre-absorb antibody with immunizing peptide)
Negative control tissue (knockout/knockdown line if available)
Positive control (tissue known to express the protein)
ChIP Controls:
Input DNA control (pre-immunoprecipitation chromatin)
IgG control (non-specific antibody of same isotype)
No-antibody control
Positive control regions (known binding sites if available)
Negative control regions (non-target genomic regions)
Co-immunoprecipitation Controls:
IgG control precipitation
Reverse co-IP (precipitate with antibody against interacting protein)
Input sample (pre-immunoprecipitation lysate)
Negative control (non-interacting protein)
These controls ensure experimental validity and help differentiate specific signals from background or artifacts.