SULTR1;2 Antibody
Description
Definition and Functional Context
SULTR1;2 (Sulfate Transporter 1;2) is a high-affinity sulfate transporter in Arabidopsis thaliana responsible for sulfate uptake in roots under sulfur-deficient conditions . The SULTR1;2 antibody is a specialized tool designed to detect and quantify this transporter protein in plant tissues, enabling researchers to study its expression patterns, localization, and regulatory mechanisms .
Key Applications of SULTR1;2 Antibody
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Protein Localization: Used in immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy to confirm root-specific expression of SULTR1;2 .
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Western Blot Analysis: Detects SULTR1;2 protein accumulation under varying sulfur conditions (e.g., 1,500 µM vs. 5 µM sulfate) .
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Mutant Phenotype Validation: Validates loss-of-function mutants (e.g., sultr1;2 knockout lines) by confirming reduced or absent protein levels .
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Posttranscriptional Regulation Studies: Tracks protein stability and degradation kinetics under sulfur-replete or sulfur-deprived conditions .
3.1. Sulfate Uptake Mechanisms
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SULTR1;2 is critical for sulfate acquisition under low-sulfur conditions, with its protein levels increasing 8–72 hours after sulfur starvation .
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Double knockout mutants (sultr1;1 sultr1;2) lack sulfate uptake activity, confirming functional redundancy with SULTR1;1 .
3.2. Posttranscriptional Regulation
| Condition | SULTR1;2 mRNA Level | SULTR1;2 Protein Level |
|---|---|---|
| Sulfur-sufficient | Low | Undetectable |
| Sulfur-deficient | Moderately induced | Significantly increased |
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Protein accumulation occurs independently of transcript levels, highlighting posttranscriptional control .
3.4. Regulatory Role in Sulfur Sensing
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sultr1;2 mutants exhibit aberrant expression of sulfur-deficiency-responsive genes (e.g., BGLU28, SDI1), suggesting SULTR1;2 may act as a sulfur sensor .
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Glutathione (GSH) accumulation correlates with SULTR1;2 protein levels, linking sulfate transport to cellular redox homeostasis .
4.1. Complementation Assays
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Transgenic lines expressing epitope-tagged SULTR1;2 (e.g., SULTR1;2mycHis) rescued sultr1;2 mutant phenotypes, confirmed via anti-myc western blotting .
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GFP-tagged SULTR1;2 lines showed root-specific fluorescence under sulfur deficiency, validated by fluorescence microscopy .
4.2. Interaction with Regulatory Proteins
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SLIM1 transcription factor regulates SULTR1;2 expression. Truncation of SLIM1’s C-terminal 57 amino acids abolished SULTR1;2 induction under sulfur deficiency .
Technical Considerations
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Antibody Specificity: Validated using sultr1;2 knockout mutants, which show no detectable signal in western blots .
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Cross-Reactivity: No cross-reactivity reported with other SULTR family members (e.g., SULTR1;1 or SULTR2;1) .
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Quantitative Limits: Sensitivity thresholds require optimization for low-abundance protein detection in sulfur-sufficient conditions .
Implications for Agricultural Research
Product Specs
Target Background
SULTR1;2 Function and Related Research:
- Cadmium Exposure and Phytochelatin Synthesis: Plants prioritize phytochelatin synthesis during cadmium exposure, even when sulfate uptake is reduced due to SULTR1;2 disruption. (PMID: 28486013)
- Selenium Tolerance: The sultr1;2 mutation enhances selenium tolerance in Arabidopsis by reducing symplastic selenium and maintaining antioxidant enzyme activity. (PMID: 22738972)
- SULTR1;2 and OASTL Interaction: Research indicates an interactive regulatory model where SULTR1;2 and OASTL coordinate sulfate internalization with the plant root cell's metabolic state. (PMID: 20529854)
- STAS Domain and Protein Interactions: The STAS domain is implicated in protein-protein interactions that may regulate sulfate transport. (PMID: 15718229)
- STAS Domain and Transporter Function: The STAS domain is essential for both the activity and biosynthesis/stability of the SULTR1;2 transporter, with sub-domains correlating to these specific functions. (PMID: 16754669)
- Selenate Sensitivity: SULTR1;2 plays a central and specific role in determining selenate sensitivity. (PMID: 17208959)
Q&A
SULTR1;2 Antibody: Research-Grade FAQs
What experimental conditions critically affect SULTR1;2 protein expression levels in planta?
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Sulfur status: SULTR1;2 mRNA and protein levels increase under sulfur deficiency (5 µM sulfate) but remain detectable under sufficient sulfate (1,500 µM) .
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Metabolite feedback: Glutathione (GSH) suppresses SULTR1;2 expression, while O-acetylserine (OAS) enhances it .
| Treatment | Sulfate (µM) | GSH (nmol/g FW) | SULTR1;2 mRNA (Relative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sulfur-sufficient | 1,500 | 120 | 1.0 (baseline) |
| Sulfur-deficient | 5 | 110 | 9.0 |
How can SULTR1;2 antibodies resolve contradictory data on transporter localization vs. functional assays?
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Context: SULTR1;2 mutants (sel1-15, sel1-16) show disrupted sulfate transport but retain aberrant sulfur-responsive gene expression (e.g., BGLU28 upregulation) even under high sulfate .
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Approach:
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Use immunofluorescence or confocal microscopy (as in ) to confirm plasma membrane localization.
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Pair antibody-based protein quantification with sulfate uptake assays in mutants.
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Check for post-translational modifications (e.g., interaction with OASTL ) that may decouple protein abundance from activity.
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What advanced techniques leverage SULTR1;2 antibodies to study protein-protein interactions?
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Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP): Identify binding partners like O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OASTL), which interacts with SULTR1;2’s STAS domain under OAS-rich conditions .
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Protocol:
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Use root microsomal fractions for membrane protein extraction.
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Include sultr1;2 mutants as negative controls.
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Functional validation: Test if OASTL binding alters sulfate uptake kinetics in heterologous systems (e.g., yeast ).
How do I distinguish transcriptional vs. post-transcriptional regulation of SULTR1;2 using antibody-based assays?
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Experimental design:
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Key finding: SULTR1;2 protein persists longer than mRNA after sulfate resupply, suggesting post-transcriptional stabilization .
