EIF4B2 Antibody is a reagent designed to detect and study the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4B2 (eIF4B2), a protein critical for regulating translation initiation in eukaryotic cells. This antibody is typically used in molecular biology techniques such as Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, or immunohistochemistry to investigate eIF4B2’s role in protein synthesis, stress response, and cellular regulation.
eIF4B2 is a component of the translation initiation complex, interacting with eIF4A (a DEAD-box RNA helicase) and eIF4E (the mRNA 5’-cap-binding protein) to facilitate ribosome recruitment to mRNA. While eIF4B2 shares structural homology with eIF4B, it exhibits distinct functional roles, particularly in plant stress responses and pathogen defense mechanisms .
eIF4B2 is a conserved protein across eukaryotes, with orthologs in plants, animals, and fungi. In plants, eIF4B2 is implicated in:
Pathogen defense: Modulating translation of stress-responsive mRNAs during infection .
Stress adaptation: Regulating protein synthesis under abiotic stress conditions (e.g., heat, salinity).
Translation initiation: Facilitating ribosome scanning and mRNA unwinding via interactions with eIF4A and eIF4E .
The antibody is employed in diverse experimental workflows to study eIF4B2’s dynamics and interactions:
Purpose: Quantify eIF4B2 protein levels in lysates.
Example: In plant-pathogen interaction studies, Western blotting with EIF4B2 Antibody can reveal eIF4B2 upregulation during immune responses .
Controls: Use loading controls (e.g., β-actin) and validate with knockout/overexpression lines.
Purpose: Identify eIF4B2-binding partners (e.g., eIF4A, eIF4E, stress-related kinases).
Method: Crosslink lysates, IP with EIF4B2 Antibody, and analyze co-precipitated proteins via mass spectrometry or Western blot .
Purpose: Localize eIF4B2 in tissues or subcellular compartments.
Case Study: In plant tissues, IHC could map eIF4B2 accumulation at infection sites or stress-affected regions .
To ensure reliability, EIF4B2 Antibody must undergo rigorous validation:
| Validation Method | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Knockout Controls | Confirm loss of signal in eIF4B2-deficient cells. |
| Peptide Blocking | Pre-incubate antibody with immunizing peptide to abolish binding. |
| Cross-Reactivity Tests | Exclude binding to eIF4B (paralog) or unrelated proteins. |
Cross-reactivity: Structural similarity between eIF4B and eIF4B2 may necessitate epitope-specific antibodies.
Tissue Variability: Expression levels may differ between plant organs (e.g., leaves vs. roots) .
Studies using EIF4B2 Antibody have implicated eIF4B2 in:
Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern (PAMP) signaling: eIF4B2 interacts with receptor-like kinases (e.g., FLS2, EFR) to regulate translation of defense-related mRNAs .
Salicylic acid (SA) signaling: eIF4B2 may modulate SA-dependent responses, though direct evidence remains limited.
While eIF4B2 shares functional domains with eIF4B, it exhibits distinct regulatory roles:
Stress-specific activation: eIF4B2 is preferentially upregulated under certain stress conditions.
Binding partners: Divergent interactions with translation factors or stress kinases compared to eIF4B .
Recent advancements in antibody databases (e.g., BenchSci, CiteAb) emphasize the need for standardized validation metrics . For EIF4B2 Antibody, future studies should prioritize:
High-throughput validation: Use knockout models and CRISPR-edited lines to confirm specificity.
Cross-species applications: Test antibodies in diverse plant species (e.g., Arabidopsis, Oryza).