The At2g23680 antibody is a specialized immunoglobulin targeting the protein product of the Arabidopsis thaliana gene locus AT2G23680, which encodes a cold acclimation protein of the WCOR413 family . This antibody serves as a critical tool for studying plant molecular responses to environmental stress, particularly cold adaptation.
AT2G23680 belongs to the WCOR413 family, implicated in cold acclimation and membrane stabilization during low-temperature stress in Arabidopsis . While its exact molecular mechanism remains under investigation, homologs of WCOR413 proteins are associated with chloroplast membrane integrity and stress signaling.
Gene ID: AT2G23680
Protein Family: WCOR413 (cold-responsive)
Function: Membrane stabilization, stress adaptation
The At2g23680 antibody is a polyclonal or monoclonal reagent designed for detecting the AT2G23680 protein in experimental assays. Commercial sources provide the following specifications :
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Immunogen | Synthetic peptide derived from AT2G23680 sequence |
| Host Species | Rabbit or Mouse |
| Clonality | Polyclonal or Monoclonal |
| Reactivity | Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica species (e.g., Brassica rapa, napus) |
| Applications | Western Blot (WB), ELISA, Immunoprecipitation (IP) |
The antibody enables:
Localization studies: Tracking AT2G23680 expression in plant tissues under cold stress.
Protein-protein interaction assays: Identifying binding partners in stress-response pathways.
While specific studies using this antibody are not detailed in publicly available literature, analogous antibodies for Arabidopsis proteins are validated through:
Western Blot: Detection of ~30 kDa bands consistent with WCOR413 protein size .
Knockout Mutant Analysis: Loss of signal in Arabidopsis mutants lacking AT2G23680 .
Specificity: The antibody shows 94% sequence homology with related Brassica proteins, necessitating validation for cross-species studies .
Challenges: Limited commercial availability and absence of published validation in high-impact studies highlight the need for independent verification in novel experimental systems.
Mechanistic Insights: Employing the antibody to elucidate AT2G23680’s role in chloroplast membrane dynamics.
Agricultural Biotechnology: Engineering cold-tolerant crops using insights from AT2G23680 expression patterns.
Antibody validation is a critical first step in ensuring experimental reliability. For At2g23680 antibody, consider multiple approaches:
Western blotting with appropriate controls: Use wild-type Arabidopsis samples alongside samples from knockout/knockdown lines for the At2g23680 gene.
Orthogonal validation: Compare antibody labeling patterns with -omics data (transcriptomics or proteomics) that quantifies At2g23680 expression levels across different tissues or conditions.
Cell-based validation: If working with cell culture systems, compare antibody reactivity across cell lines with variable expression levels of the target protein.
Combined validation approach: As recommended by Only Good Antibodies community, implement multiple validation strategies that address the "five pillars" of antibody validation, adapting specifically to your experimental context .
Proper storage is essential for maintaining antibody functionality:
Temperature conditions: Store at -20°C or -80°C upon receipt. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
Physical form considerations: For lyophilized antibodies, reconstitute immediately before use following manufacturer protocols.
Buffer composition: Most plant antibodies are stored in buffers containing glycerol (typically 50%) and a preservative such as 0.03% Proclin 300 in PBS (pH 7.4) .
Aliquoting strategy: Divide the stock antibody into small aliquots to minimize freeze-thaw cycles, which can degrade antibody quality over time.
Proper controls are fundamental to interpreting antibody-based experimental results:
Negative controls:
Samples from At2g23680 knockout/knockdown plants
Secondary antibody-only controls to assess non-specific binding
Pre-immune serum (for polyclonal antibodies)
Positive controls:
Samples with confirmed At2g23680 expression
Recombinant At2g23680 protein (matching the immunogen)
Specificity controls:
Competitive blocking with immunizing peptide
Cross-reactivity assessment with closely related proteins in the same family
Technical controls:
Loading controls for western blots
Tissue processing controls to ensure sample quality
ChIP applications require specific optimization strategies:
Crosslinking optimization:
For plant tissues, test both formaldehyde (1-3%) and dual crosslinking approaches (DSG followed by formaldehyde)
Optimize crosslinking time (10-20 minutes) based on tissue type
Chromatin fragmentation:
Test sonication parameters systematically (amplitude, cycle time, total duration)
Aim for chromatin fragments between 200-500 bp
Verify fragmentation efficiency by agarose gel electrophoresis
Antibody concentration:
Typically requires higher antibody concentrations than western blotting
Perform titration experiments (1-10 μg per reaction)
Data validation:
Verify enrichment at known binding sites
Include IgG controls from the same species as the primary antibody
Consider sequential ChIP for complex binding interactions
Understanding protein interactions requires sophisticated methodological approaches:
Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP):
Use At2g23680 antibody for pull-down experiments
Optimize lysis buffer conditions to maintain protein complexes
Consider crosslinking to capture transient interactions
Analyze precipitated proteins by mass spectrometry
Proximity-dependent labeling:
Fuse At2g23680 with BioID or TurboID
Identify neighboring proteins through biotinylation
Validate interactions using At2g23680 antibody in reciprocal Co-IPs
Fluorescence microscopy approaches:
Combine At2g23680 antibody with antibodies against suspected interacting partners
Perform proximity ligation assays (PLA) to detect proteins within 40 nm
Split-reporter validation:
Follow up antibody-based discoveries with split-GFP or split-luciferase assays
Use At2g23680 antibody to confirm expression of fusion proteins
Plant stress response studies require specific experimental designs:
Time-course experiments:
Sample tissues at multiple timepoints after stress application
Use At2g23680 antibody to track protein abundance changes
Correlate with transcriptional changes using RT-qPCR
Tissue-specific analysis:
Compare protein levels across different plant tissues
Combine with in situ immunolocalization to track cellular redistribution
Post-translational modification analysis:
Use phospho-specific antibodies alongside At2g23680 antibody
Compare migration patterns on Phos-tag gels before and after stress treatments
Protein degradation studies:
Combine with proteasome inhibitors to assess protein turnover
Track protein half-life under different stress conditions
Several factors can contribute to false negative results:
Epitope masking:
The antibody epitope may be hidden due to protein folding or interactions
Test different protein extraction methods with varying detergent concentrations
Consider native vs. denaturing conditions
Low protein abundance:
Enrich for the target protein using subcellular fractionation
Increase sample concentration or loading amount
Use amplification methods (e.g., tyramide signal amplification for immunohistochemistry)
Antibody degradation:
Ensure proper storage conditions
Test antibody activity using positive control samples
Consider using newer antibody lots if degradation is suspected
Buffer incompatibility:
Optimize buffer compositions for the specific application
Test different blocking agents to reduce background while preserving specific signal
Antibody fragmentation can enhance performance for certain applications:
Pepsin digestion protocol:
Fragment validation:
Verify fragment generation by SDS-PAGE
Test binding activity through Western blotting
Compare with intact antibody for specificity and sensitivity
Application-specific considerations:
F(ab')₂ fragments: Better for tissue penetration and reduced non-specific binding
Fab fragments: Useful for avoiding cross-linking or when avoiding Fc receptor binding
Storage of fragments:
Generally less stable than intact antibodies
Store in small aliquots to minimize freeze-thaw cycles
Consider adding stabilizing proteins like BSA
Cross-reactivity can confound experimental results:
Sequential immunodetection:
Strip and reprobe membranes sequentially
Optimize stripping conditions to remove first antibody completely
Verify stripping efficiency with appropriate controls
Spectral unmixing:
Use fluorophores with minimal spectral overlap
Perform single-staining controls for compensation
Apply mathematical algorithms for unmixing overlapping signals
Antibody optimization:
Pre-adsorb antibody with recombinant proteins of potential cross-reactants
Test antibody on tissues from knockout plants for related genes
Consider developing highly specific monoclonal antibodies
Alternative detection methods:
Use proximity ligation assays for highly specific detection
Consider multiplexed mass spectrometry for complex protein mixtures
Western blot quantification:
Use appropriate loading controls (e.g., ACTIN, TUBULIN, GAPDH)
Apply linear range detection methods
Normalize to total protein using stain-free gels or Ponceau staining
Present data as fold-change relative to control conditions
Immunohistochemistry quantification:
Use consistent image acquisition parameters
Apply automated thresholding algorithms
Count positive cells or measure fluorescence intensity
Normalize to appropriate reference markers
Statistical analysis:
Perform experiments with sufficient biological replicates (n≥3)
Select appropriate statistical tests based on data distribution
Report effect sizes alongside p-values
Consider power analysis to determine sample size requirements
Data presentation:
Include representative images alongside quantification
Present raw data points in addition to means/medians
Use consistent scales and units across comparable experiments
Protein-transcript discrepancies provide biological insights:
Post-transcriptional regulation:
Assess miRNA-mediated regulation of At2g23680 transcripts
Consider RNA-binding protein interactions
Examine alternative splicing patterns using RT-PCR
Post-translational mechanisms:
Investigate protein stability and half-life
Assess proteasomal degradation using inhibitors
Examine potential protein modifications affecting antibody recognition
Technical considerations:
Verify antibody specificity using knockout controls
Assess primer specificity for RT-qPCR measurements
Consider tissue/cellular heterogeneity in samples
Biological interpretation frameworks:
Temporal delays between transcription and translation
Protein localization changes vs. expression changes
Compensatory mechanisms in mutant backgrounds
IP-MS validation requires multi-faceted approaches:
Computational filtering:
Compare against negative control IPs (IgG, unrelated antibody)
Filter using likelihood scores (e.g., SAINT, CompPASS)
Apply abundance-based scoring to identify enriched proteins
Reciprocal validation:
Perform reverse IPs using antibodies against identified interactors
Verify co-precipitation of At2g23680
Compare interaction profiles across conditions
Orthogonal interaction assays:
Yeast two-hybrid or split-reporter assays
FRET/FLIM microscopy with fluorescently tagged proteins
In vitro binding assays with recombinant proteins
Functional validation:
Genetic studies combining mutants of interacting partners
Co-localization experiments using immunofluorescence
Phenotypic analysis of interaction-deficient mutants
Cross-species reactivity is an important consideration:
Sequence conservation analysis:
Align At2g23680 sequences across plant species
Focus on epitope regions recognized by the antibody
Predict cross-reactivity based on sequence identity percentages
Experimental validation:
Test antibody reactivity against protein extracts from multiple species
Include positive and negative controls from Arabidopsis
Verify band sizes correspond to predicted molecular weights
Species-specific considerations:
Higher plants generally show better cross-reactivity than algae or non-plant organisms
Brassicaceae family members often show strongest cross-reactivity
Consider homology at the protein structure level, not just sequence
Documentation practices:
Maintain detailed records of cross-reactivity testing
Document specific conditions that enhance cross-species detection
Share validation data with the research community
Flow cytometry requires specific optimization strategies:
Sample preparation considerations:
Optimize protoplast isolation protocols
Ensure single-cell suspensions
Minimize aggregation through filtering
Validation approaches:
Controls and standards:
Include fluorescence-minus-one (FMO) controls
Use secondary antibody-only controls
Include compensation controls for multi-color experiments
Analysis frameworks:
Apply consistent gating strategies
Consider dimensionality reduction for complex datasets
Correlate flow cytometry data with imaging or biochemical assays
Batch-to-batch reproducibility requires systematic approaches:
Antibody characterization:
Test each new antibody lot against standard samples
Document key parameters (titer, specificity, optimal dilution)
Maintain reference samples for comparative analysis
Standardization practices:
Use consistent protocols across experiments
Include internal standards in each experiment
Normalize to reference proteins or samples
Documentation strategies:
Record antibody lot numbers and source information
Document all experimental parameters in detail
Share detailed protocols through repositories
Inter-laboratory validation:
Participate in ring trials or multi-lab validation studies
Compare antibody performance across different research groups
Establish consensus protocols for standardized use