Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are Y-shaped proteins produced by the immune system to recognize and bind to specific antigens. They consist of two heavy chains and two light chains, with the variable regions forming the antigen-binding site (Fab fragment) and the constant region (Fc fragment) interacting with immune cells .
Antibody Structure: Comprises two heavy chains and two light chains, forming a Y-shaped structure. The Fab region binds antigens, while the Fc region interacts with immune cells .
Antibody Function: Primarily involved in antigen binding and immune response modulation. Different classes of antibodies (e.g., IgA, IgG) serve distinct roles in the body .
Antibodies are widely used in various research techniques, including:
Western Blotting (WB): For detecting specific proteins in cell lysates.
Immunohistochemistry (IHC): For studying protein expression in tissues.
Immunofluorescence (IF): For visualizing proteins in cells .
In research, antibodies are often used to study protein expression and function. For example, the anti-eRF1 antibody (ab153731) is used to detect eRF1 protein in human samples through WB, IHC, and IF .
ERF107 likely functions as a transcriptional activator. It binds to the GCC-box pathogenesis-related promoter element and may play a role in regulating gene expression in response to stress factors and components of stress signal transduction pathways.
ERF107 is an ethylene-responsive transcription factor belonging to the AP2/ERF superfamily, classified as "ethylene-responsive transcription factor ERF107-like" in organisms such as Camelina sativa . ERF transcription factors play crucial roles in:
Plant growth and development regulation
Stress response signaling pathways
Ethylene-mediated gene expression
Adaptation to environmental challenges
ERF107 is particularly significant because it represents an important node in plant stress response networks, potentially influencing agricultural traits related to stress tolerance.
When selecting an ERF107 antibody, researchers should evaluate several critical parameters:
To ensure ERF107 antibody specificity, implement a multi-step validation approach:
Western blot analysis comparing wild-type samples with ERF107 knockout/knockdown tissues
Peptide competition assays where the antibody is pre-incubated with immunizing peptide
Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry to confirm target protein identity
Comparative analysis using multiple antibodies against different ERF107 epitopes
Recombinant protein controls to verify expected molecular weight detection
These approaches collectively establish confidence that observed signals truly represent ERF107 rather than non-specific binding or cross-reactivity.
ChIP studies with ERF107 antibody can reveal genomic binding sites and regulatory mechanisms:
Optimization phase:
Validate antibody efficiency in ChIP using known ERF107 target promoters
Determine optimal crosslinking conditions (typically 1% formaldehyde for 10-15 minutes)
Establish sonication parameters for consistent 200-500bp DNA fragments
Experimental controls:
Input DNA (pre-immunoprecipitation chromatin)
IgG antibody control (non-specific binding baseline)
ERF107 knockout/knockdown samples (specificity control)
Data analysis considerations:
Evaluate enrichment over input and IgG controls
Analyze motifs in bound regions and compare to known ERF binding elements
Correlate binding sites with gene expression data to identify functional targets
This approach can identify the genome-wide regulatory network of ERF107, particularly during stress responses or developmental transitions.
Drawing from phage display and deep mutational scanning techniques described in search result , researchers can map ERF107 epitopes through:
Generation of a phage display library expressing ERF107 variants or fragments
Incubation with ERF107 antibody of interest
Immunoprecipitation of phage-antibody complexes
DNA extraction and sequencing of selected phages
Computational analysis to determine effects of mutations on antibody binding
This technique, similar to the Phage-DMS approach, can "tell you exactly which mutations result in loss of antibody binding, which could be useful in predicting escape mutations" . For ERF107, this would help identify critical structural features and potential regulatory sites within the protein.
Inspired by the dual antibody staining assay described in search result , researchers could:
Develop a dual immunofluorescent staining using two different ERF107 antibodies targeting distinct epitopes
Track changes in epitope accessibility under different conditions (e.g., ethylene treatment)
Apply digital image analysis with nucleus detection algorithms
Calculate per-cell ratios of different antibody signals to assess activation state
This approach could reveal how ERF107 conformation or accessibility changes upon activation, similar to how "EP1 and 1D5 MoAbs showed reduced nuclear staining when ER was transcriptionally active, while staining with H4624 MoAb was independent of ER activity" in estrogen receptor studies.
Effective detection of ERF107 requires careful sample preparation:
| Step | Recommendation | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Tissue harvesting | Flash-freeze in liquid nitrogen | Preserves protein integrity and modifications |
| Extraction buffer | Use nuclear protein extraction buffer with protease/phosphatase inhibitors | ERF107 is primarily nuclear; inhibitors prevent degradation |
| Tissue disruption | Fine grinding in liquid nitrogen | Ensures complete cell lysis |
| Protein quantification | Bradford or BCA assay | Standardizes loading for comparative analysis |
| Storage | Aliquot and store at -80°C; avoid freeze-thaw cycles | Maintains antibody epitope integrity |
| For immunohistochemistry applications, aldehyde fixation methods that preserve nuclear protein epitopes while maintaining tissue architecture are recommended. |
When facing detection challenges:
Verify antibody quality and storage conditions
Optimize protein extraction focusing on nuclear fraction enrichment
Test different blocking agents (BSA vs. milk) to improve signal-to-noise ratio
Consider epitope retrieval methods for fixed tissues
Evaluate signal enhancement systems (biotin-streptavidin amplification)
Test different membrane types for Western blotting
Increase protein loading while monitoring background
Similar to challenges in other antibody applications, weak signals may result from protein degradation, insufficient extraction, or epitope masking due to protein interactions or post-translational modifications.
For rigorous quantitative assessment of ERF107:
Establish standard curves using recombinant ERF107 protein
Optimize Western blot protocols for quantitative analysis:
Verify signal is in the linear detection range
Use fluorescent secondary antibodies for more accurate quantification
Include consistent loading controls
Develop ELISA or other immunoassay formats if absolute quantification is required
Use image analysis software with appropriate background correction
Include multiple biological and technical replicates
These approaches enable reliable comparisons of ERF107 levels across different experimental conditions or genetic backgrounds.
When analyzing ERF107 localization dynamics:
Perform both whole-cell lysate analysis and nuclear fractionation to distinguish between changes in total protein versus nuclear localization
Use co-staining with nuclear markers in imaging studies
Consider that transcription factor activity may not correlate linearly with protein levels or nuclear localization
Be aware that some antibodies may show differential binding depending on activation state, similar to what was observed with estrogen receptor antibodies
Drawing from the dual antibody approach in result , researchers should recognize that antibody epitope accessibility might change with transcription factor activation state, potentially affecting interpretation of localization studies.
Robust ChIP-seq with ERF107 antibody requires:
| Control Type | Purpose | Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| Input control | Accounts for chromatin preparation biases | Process aliquot of pre-IP chromatin through all steps except IP |
| IgG control | Establishes non-specific binding baseline | Perform parallel IP with isotype-matched non-specific IgG |
| Knockout/knockdown | Confirms signal specificity | Perform ChIP in ERF107-deficient background |
| Spike-in control | Enables quantitative comparisons | Add defined amount of exogenous chromatin before IP |
| Positive control regions | Validates IP efficiency | Include qPCR for known ERF binding regions |
| These controls collectively ensure that identified binding sites truly represent ERF107 occupancy rather than technical artifacts or background binding. |
To distinguish specific from non-specific signals:
Include appropriate negative controls:
Samples lacking ERF107 (knockouts where available)
Pre-immune serum controls
Isotype-matched control antibodies
Perform peptide competition assays by pre-incubating antibody with immunizing peptide
Validate with multiple antibodies targeting different ERF107 epitopes
Analyze the molecular weight of detected bands in Western blots
Use genetic approaches (overexpression, knockdown) to correlate signal intensity with expected ERF107 levels
These validation steps help ensure experimental observations accurately reflect ERF107 biology rather than artifacts.
Based on insights about unfolded protein response (UPR) in antibody-secreting cells , researchers could investigate connections between ERF107 and plant UPR:
Examine whether ERF107 expression or activity changes during plant UPR activation
Investigate if ERF107 regulates genes involved in UPR or ER stress responses
Track changes in ERF107 protein levels, modifications, or localization during ER stress
Compare ChIP-seq profiles under normal versus ER stress conditions
Study potential interactions between ERF107 and known UPR components
This approach might reveal previously unrecognized connections between ethylene signaling and ER stress responses in plants, similar to how "major UPR components are activated in B cells stimulated to secrete antibody" .
For investigating ERF107 post-translational modifications:
Develop or obtain modification-specific antibodies (e.g., phospho-specific)
Use phosphatase treatment as a negative control to validate phospho-specific signals
Combine immunoprecipitation with mass spectrometry for modification mapping
Apply Phos-tag SDS-PAGE to separate differently modified forms
Compare modification states under different treatment conditions
Understanding post-translational modifications can provide critical insights into how ERF107 activity is regulated in response to environmental signals.
Drawing from findings about ER stress tolerance in antibody-producing cells , researchers could:
Investigate whether ERF107 expression affects cellular stress tolerance
Examine if ERF107 overexpression or knockout alters ER stress markers
Study how ERF107 activity might be affected by conditions that induce ER stress
Analyze potential protective mechanisms mediated by ERF107 during stress responses
Explore connections between ethylene signaling and cellular stress pathways
This research direction could reveal how "suppression of ER stress associated with high [protein] production is important" in plant systems, with ERF107 potentially playing a regulatory role.
Several emerging technologies could advance ERF107 research:
Single-cell antibody-based assays to examine cell-specific ERF107 expression patterns
Proximity labeling approaches (BioID, APEX) combined with ERF107 antibodies to map protein interaction networks
Advanced imaging techniques like super-resolution microscopy to visualize ERF107 nuclear distribution patterns
CRISPR epitope tagging to enable more specific antibody detection of endogenous ERF107
Computationally designed antibodies targeting unique ERF107 epitopes
These approaches could overcome current limitations in studying low-abundance transcription factors in plant systems.
To ensure reproducibility in ERF107 antibody-based studies:
Thoroughly document antibody information:
Catalog number and vendor
Lot number
Clonality (monoclonal/polyclonal)
Host species and immunogen details
Validate across multiple experimental systems
Include all necessary controls in each experiment
Standardize protocols for sample preparation, antibody dilutions, and incubation conditions
Share detailed methods and troubleshooting notes in publications
These practices help address the widespread challenges of reproducibility in antibody-based research generally, which are particularly important for studying plant transcription factors like ERF107.
Researchers studying ERF107 can access various resources:
Gene sequence information from databases like NCBI (accession: LOC104738991)
Predicted protein structures from AlphaFold or similar resources
Comparative sequence analysis tools to identify conserved domains
Plant-specific antibody validation repositories
Specialized plant transcription factor databases
These resources provide valuable starting points for experimental design and interpretation of antibody-based studies of ERF107.
Emerging research directions include:
Multi-omics integration combining ERF107 ChIP-seq with transcriptomics and metabolomics
System-wide analysis of ERF107 binding sites under various stress conditions
Comparative studies of ERF107 function across different plant species
Investigation of ERF107 in developmental transitions and organogenesis
Application of ERF107 knowledge to improve crop stress resilience These directions highlight the continuing importance of well-validated antibody tools for advancing our understanding of plant transcription factor biology and its agricultural applications.