MRS2-4 Antibody

MRS2 Antibodies: General Overview

MRS2 antibodies are primarily designed for detecting mitochondrial Mg transporters in mammals, yeast, or other model organisms. Key features include:

Key Observations:

• Species Specificity: Antibodies for mammalian MRS2 (e.g., Alomone ANT-148) show ~90–93% identity to mouse/rat orthologs but lack cross-reactivity with plant MRS2-4 .

• Localization: MRS2 antibodies typically target mitochondrial matrix regions, contrasting with MRS2-4’s reported ER localization in Arabidopsis .

• Functional Insights: Structural studies (e.g., human MRS2) reveal pentameric channels regulated by Mg²⁺/Ca²⁺, but analogous data for MRS2-4 are absent .

MRS2-4: Role in Plant Mg Homeostasis

MRS2-4 is indispensable for Mg uptake and storage in Arabidopsis, as shown by phenotypic and physiological analyses:

Functional Data

Mechanistic Insights:

• Bi-directional Transport: MRS2-4 may mediate Mg influx/efflux, buffering cytosolic Mg via ER storage .

• Redundancy: Double mutants (mrs2-4/mrs2-7) show exacerbated defects, indicating partial functional overlap .

Challenges in Developing MRS2-4-Specific Antibodies

Despite its importance, MRS2-4 remains understudied due to:

1. Low Sequence Homology: MRS2-4 shares minimal identity with mammalian MRS2 (e.g., human MRS2 vs. Arabidopsis MRS2-4: ~20–30% similarity).

2. Subcellular Localization: ER targeting complicates antibody design compared to mitochondrial MRS2 .

3. Research Focus: Existing studies prioritize mammalian/yeast MRS2, leaving plant homologs underexplored .

Research Gaps and Future Directions

• Custom Antibody Development: A plant-specific antibody would require immunogenic peptide design (e.g., targeting Arabidopsis-unique regions).

• Functional Validation: Structural studies (e.g., cryo-EM) could elucidate MRS2-4’s Mg-binding sites and regulatory mechanisms .

• Cross-Species Comparisons: Investigating whether mammalian MRS2 antibodies cross-react with MRS2-4 via epitope mapping.