polk-1 Antibody

Overview of POLK Antibody

POLK antibodies are polyclonal or monoclonal reagents designed to detect and quantify the DNA polymerase kappa protein in experimental settings. These antibodies are critical for investigating POLK's role in error-prone DNA repair mechanisms, particularly in bypassing bulky DNA lesions caused by environmental carcinogens like benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) .

Target Protein: DNA Polymerase Kappa (POLK)

POLK belongs to the Y-family of DNA polymerases and is encoded by the POLK gene (NCBI Gene ID: 51426). Key characteristics include:

POLK is ubiquitously expressed but most abundant in the testis, adrenal gland, and ovary .

Research Applications and Validation Data

POLK antibodies are validated for multiple applications across species:

Key Applications

• Western Blot (WB): Detects POLK at 1:500–1:10,000 dilutions .

• Immunofluorescence (IF): Visualizes nuclear and cytoplasmic POLK in human cell lines (HeLa, MCF-7) and mouse brain tissues .

• ELISA: Quantifies POLK in human samples .

Validation Highlights

Comparative Analysis of POLK Antibodies

DNA Damage Response

• Hypersensitivity to B[a]P: POLK-deficient cells show 3x greater sensitivity to B[a]P-induced DNA damage compared to wild-type cells .

• Mutation Suppression: POLK reduces frameshift mutations at B[a]P adducts by 50% (error-free bypass efficiency: 70–80%) .

Aging and Subcellular Dynamics

• Nuclear-to-Cytoplasmic Shift: POLK transitions from nuclear speckles in young mice (1–2 months) to cytoplasmic granules in aged mice (>9 months) .

• Co-localization with REV1: Both polymerases show parallel expression declines in aging brains, suggesting coordinated TLS regulation .

Therapeutic Implications

• Cancer Research: Elevated POLK expression in lung cancer tissues correlates with mutagenic resistance .

• Antibody Specificity: No cross-reactivity with PD-1/PD-L1 pathways confirmed via NFAT and IL-2 assays .