MTERF4 Antibody

Introduction to MTERF4 Antibody

MTERF4 (mitochondrial transcription termination factor 4) is a 44 kDa mitochondrial protein critical for regulating ribosomal biogenesis and translation in mammalian mitochondria . MTERF4 antibodies are specialized immunoglobulins designed to detect this protein via techniques such as Western blotting, ELISA, immunocytochemistry, and immunohistochemistry. These antibodies enable precise characterization of MTERF4’s role in mitochondrial gene expression, including its interaction with the ribosomal RNA methyltransferase NSUN4 and its structural role in mitoribosome assembly .

Applications and Techniques

MTERF4 antibodies are utilized across diverse experimental workflows to study mitochondrial biology. Key applications include:

Western blotting remains the most widely reported method, as it enables detection of MTERF4’s interaction with NSUN4 and its role in ribosomal biogenesis .

Suppliers and Product Overview

Over 70 MTERF4 antibody products are available from 13 suppliers, varying in reactivity, conjugates, and applications. Below is a curated selection of commercially available antibodies:

Key observations:

• Reactivity: Most antibodies target human (Hu) and mouse (Ms) homologs, with broader species coverage (e.g., rat, bovine) in specialized products .

• Conjugates: HRP, biotin, and Alexa Fluor® tags enable multiplex detection (e.g., immunofluorescence) .

• Pricing: Costs range from $160 (MyBioSource) to $630 (OriGene), reflecting differences in purification methods and validation .

Research Findings and Functional Insights

MTERF4 antibodies have elucidated critical mechanistic roles of this protein in mitochondrial biology:

Ribosomal Biogenesis and Translation

MTERF4 forms a stoichiometric complex with NSUN4, recruiting this methyltransferase to the mitochondrial large ribosomal subunit (39S). This interaction is essential for:

• rRNA methylation: NSUN4 methylates cytosine 911 in 12S rRNA, stabilizing ribosomal assembly .

• Translation regulation: Loss of MTERF4 disrupts ribosome assembly, reducing mitochondrial translation efficiency by >80% .

Disease Implications

• Mitochondrial disorders: Defective MTERF4-NSUN4 interactions are linked to impaired oxidative phosphorylation and respiratory chain deficiencies .

• Cancer metabolism: Altered MTERF4 expression may influence mitochondrial translation in cancer cells, though direct evidence remains limited .

Technical Considerations and Best Practices

• Optimal dilutions: Primary antibodies are typically diluted 1:500–1:2000 for Western blotting, depending on lysate concentration .

• Cross-reactivity: Confirm species specificity using suppliers’ validation data (e.g., Aviva’s antibody reacts with human, mouse, rat, bovine, and frog) .

• Controls: Use mitochondrial lysates or NSUN4-deficient models to validate binding specificity .