LOV-1 is essential for two key aspects of male C. elegans mating behavior: responding to hermaphrodite contact and accurately locating the vulva. It functions within the same pathway as PKD-2 and ATP-2 in mediating this response behavior. Additionally, LOV-1 may play a role in the ciliary targeting of PKD-2.
Here’s a structured, research-focused FAQ for "LOV-1 Antibody" applications in academic contexts, incorporating experimental design principles, methodological guidance, and data-driven insights from peer-reviewed studies:
Method: Combine orthogonal approaches:
Yeast two-hybrid screening to identify direct binding partners (e.g., ATP-2 interaction with the LOV-1 PLAT domain) .
GST pull-down assays with radiolabeled proteins (e.g., in vitro binding of -ATP-2 to GST-PLAT) .
RNAi epistasis analysis to confirm functional pathway alignment (e.g., atp-2 RNAi failing to enhance lov-1 mutant phenotypes) .
Key controls:
Knockout/knockdown validation: Compare staining in lov-1 null mutants vs. wild-type.
Endogenous biotin blocking: Pre-treat samples with unlabeled biotin to suppress nonspecific streptavidin signals in assays like LOV-Turbo .
Cross-reactivity checks: Use tissues/cells lacking LOV-1 expression to rule out off-target binding.
Experimental strategies:
Subcellular fractionation: Isolate cilia/mitochondria separately and repeat co-IP/Western blotting .
Time-resolved imaging: Use light-inducible LOV-Turbo to track dynamic localization changes under blue light .
Quantitative proteomics: Apply SILAC or TMT labeling to distinguish primary interactors from background .
Integrated pipeline:
Protocol adjustments:
Biotin supplementation: Increase to 500 µM during light activation to boost labeling efficiency .
Pulse parameters: Use 10 ms light pulses at 2.5 mW/cm (33% duty cycle) to minimize phototoxicity .
Signal amplification: Pair anti-V5 primary antibodies with fluorophore-conjugated secondaries and tyramide amplification .
Troubleshooting framework: