EPFL5 Antibody
Description
Definition and Target
The EPFL5 Antibody is designed to bind specifically to the EPFL5 peptide, a cysteine-rich secreted protein involved in stomatal patterning and inflorescence architecture in plants. It is primarily used in molecular biology techniques such as Western blot (WB) and ELISA to detect EPFL5 expression or interactions in Arabidopsis thaliana and related species .
Key Applications in Research
Notable Uses:
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Stomatal Development: EPFL5 acts as a positive regulator by competing with inhibitory peptides like MEPF2 for receptor binding .
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Inflorescence Architecture: EPFL5 influences phloem-mediated signaling in flowering plants, though its expression is more prominent in developing flowers than inflorescence stems .
Mechanism of Action and Competitive Binding
EPFL5 binds to the ERECTA (ER) receptor, a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase (LRR-RLK), to modulate stomatal development. Competitive binding assays demonstrate that EPFL5 displaces inhibitory peptides like MEPF2 from ER with an IC50 of 454 nM, highlighting its role in fine-tuning receptor activity .
Key Findings:
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Competitive Displacement: Stomagen (EPFL5) outcompetes MEPF2 for ER binding, enabling stomatal differentiation .
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Receptor Specificity: ER binds EPFL5 and other EPFL family peptides (e.g., EPFL4, EPFL6) but not unrelated ligands (e.g., LURE2) .
Stomatal Development
EPFL5 overexpression suppresses stomatal differentiation, similar to EPFL4 and EPFL6, but its expression pattern differs:
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EPFL5: Expressed in developing flowers, not inflorescence stems .
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EPFL4/EPFL6: Active in inflorescence stems, regulating phloem-mediated signaling .
Receptor Interactions
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ER Receptor: EPFL5 binds ERΔK-GFP (kinase-deleted ER) in co-immunoprecipitation assays, confirming direct interaction .
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TMM Receptor: TMM (TOO MANY MOUTHS) interacts with ER but not directly with EPFL5, suggesting indirect modulation .
Synergistic Effects
EPFL5’s competitive binding with MEPF2 slows stomatal differentiation, allowing fine-tuned regulation of stomatal density .
Product Specs
Constituents: 50% Glycerol, 0.01M Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS), pH 7.4
