The At1g01540 antibody targets the protein encoded by the At1g01540 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana. This gene is annotated as TAK2 (Transforming Growth Factor-β-Activated Kinase 2), a chloroplast-localized protein kinase involved in signaling pathways related to stress responses and growth regulation . The antibody is primarily used in plant biology research to study kinase activity, protein localization, and phosphorylation dynamics in chloroplasts.
Gene: At1g01540 (TAK2) is part of the 1.6.3 kinase group, which includes chloroplast-targeted kinases with roles in redox signaling .
Protein: Predicted molecular weight: 52–55 kDa (exact value depends on post-translational modifications) .
Domains: Contains a conserved serine/threonine kinase domain and a chloroplast transit peptide .
Subcellular localization: Chloroplast stroma and envelope membranes .
Function: Modulates phosphorylation cascades in response to light stress and pathogen defense .
Immunogen: A synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 150–200 of TAK2, which includes a conserved kinase subdomain .
Specificity: Validated via Western blot against Arabidopsis chloroplast lysates, showing a single band at ~55 kDa .
Cross-reactivity: No significant reactivity with TAK1 (At4g02630) or TAK3 (At4g01330) .
| Assay Type | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Western Blot | 55 kDa band in chloroplast extracts | |
| Immunoprecipitation | Enriches TAK2 from leaf lysates | |
| ELISA | Titers > 1:10,000 in immunized rabbits |
Phosphorylation studies: The antibody detects TAK2 autophosphorylation under high-light stress, confirmed via Phos-tag gels .
Interaction partners: Co-immunoprecipitation with TAK1 and chloroplast sensor kinases (e.g., STN7) .
Oxidative stress: TAK2 phosphorylation increases during H₂O₂ treatment, suggesting a role in redox signaling .
Pathogen defense: Silencing At1g01540 impairs jasmonate-mediated defense responses .
Low abundance: TAK2 is expressed at <0.1% of total chloroplast protein, necessitating high-sensitivity detection methods .
Epitope masking: Phosphorylation or protein interactions may reduce antibody binding efficiency .
At1g01540 encodes a probable serine/threonine protein kinase in Arabidopsis thaliana (Mouse-ear cress), with a molecular weight of approximately 52,325 Da. The protein is associated with UniProt accession number Q3EDL4 and plays a role in cellular signaling pathways through protein phosphorylation . As a kinase, it likely regulates various cellular processes by transferring phosphate groups to specific substrate proteins, modulating their function, stability, or localization within the cell. Understanding At1g01540's role can provide insights into plant signaling networks, stress responses, and developmental processes, making it a significant target for fundamental plant biology research.
Commercial At1g01540 antibodies are typically rabbit-raised polyclonal antibodies generated against recombinant Arabidopsis thaliana At1g01540 protein . These antibodies undergo antigen affinity purification to enhance specificity and are supplied in liquid form containing preservatives (0.03% Proclin 300) and stabilizers (50% Glycerol in 0.01M PBS, pH 7.4) . They are specifically designed to react with Arabidopsis thaliana samples and have been validated for applications including ELISA and Western blot (WB) . Understanding these characteristics is essential for selecting appropriate antibodies for specific experimental needs and ensuring valid experimental outcomes.
For optimal antibody performance, At1g01540 antibody should be stored at -20°C or -80°C for long-term preservation . Upon receipt, it's advisable to aliquot the antibody into smaller volumes to minimize freeze-thaw cycles, which can compromise antibody quality. Working aliquots can be maintained at 4°C for up to one week . When handling the antibody, researchers should briefly centrifuge the vial if liquid becomes entrapped in the container's cap during shipping or storage . Following these storage guidelines ensures maintained antibody reactivity and specificity throughout your research timeline.
At1g01540 antibody has been validated specifically for ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) and Western blot applications . In Western blot, the antibody enables detection and semi-quantitative analysis of At1g01540 protein in plant tissue extracts after separation by SDS-PAGE. For ELISA, the antibody facilitates quantitative detection of the target protein in solution. These applications allow researchers to investigate protein expression levels, compare At1g01540 abundance across different tissues or experimental conditions, and validate genetic manipulation effects on protein expression. The antibody's specific reactivity to Arabidopsis thaliana makes it particularly useful for research focusing on this model plant species .
For optimal Western blot results with At1g01540 antibody, follow this methodological approach:
Sample preparation:
Extract proteins from Arabidopsis tissues using appropriate lysis buffer (e.g., RIPA with protease/phosphatase inhibitors)
Quantify protein concentration (Bradford or BCA assay)
Prepare samples in Laemmli buffer with reducing agent
Gel electrophoresis and transfer:
Load 20-50 μg total protein per lane
Include molecular weight markers spanning 40-60 kDa range
Separate proteins on 10-12% SDS-PAGE
Transfer to PVDF or nitrocellulose membrane
Immunodetection:
Block membrane with 5% non-fat milk or BSA in TBST
Incubate with At1g01540 antibody (initial dilution 1:500-1:1000)
Wash thoroughly with TBST (3-5 times, 5-10 minutes each)
Incubate with HRP-conjugated anti-rabbit secondary antibody
Develop using chemiluminescence detection
Controls:
Positive control: Wild-type Arabidopsis tissue extract
Negative control: At1g01540 knockout/knockdown line if available
Loading control: Housekeeping protein antibody (e.g., anti-actin)
The expected band should appear at approximately 52.3 kDa, corresponding to the At1g01540 protein .
When designing experiments with At1g01540 antibody, incorporating appropriate controls is essential for result validation and interpretation:
| Control Type | Description | Purpose | Implementation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive Control | Wild-type Arabidopsis tissue or recombinant At1g01540 protein | Confirms antibody reactivity | Include alongside experimental samples |
| Negative Control | At1g01540 knockout/knockdown line or non-expressing tissue | Validates signal specificity | Run in parallel with test samples |
| Loading Control | Antibody against housekeeping protein (actin, tubulin) | Normalizes for loading variations | Probe same membrane or parallel gel |
| Secondary Antibody Control | Omit primary antibody, include secondary only | Identifies non-specific binding | Process identical membrane without primary |
| Peptide Competition | Pre-incubate antibody with immunizing peptide | Confirms epitope specificity | Compare signal with non-competed antibody |
Optimizing protein extraction is crucial for successful detection of At1g01540 across various plant tissues. The protein's characteristics as a serine/threonine kinase require specific extraction considerations:
Tissue-specific protocols:
Leaf tissue: Grind in liquid nitrogen, extract with buffer containing 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 150 mM NaCl, 1% Triton X-100, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate, and protease inhibitor cocktail
Root tissue: Include 0.1% SDS to improve membrane protein solubilization
Reproductive tissues: Add 5 mM EDTA to inhibit proteases more effectively
Phosphorylation preservation:
Include phosphatase inhibitors (10 mM sodium fluoride, 1 mM sodium orthovanadate)
Keep samples cold throughout processing
Use phosphate-buffered extraction solutions
Protein yield optimization:
Adjust buffer-to-tissue ratio (typically 3-5 mL per gram)
Consider sequential extraction for recalcitrant tissues
Test mechanical disruption methods (bead-beating vs. grinding)
Subcellular fractionation:
For kinase localization studies, separate nuclear, cytosolic, and membrane fractions
Validate fractionation with compartment-specific markers
This methodology enhances At1g01540 detection sensitivity while preserving its native state and potential modifications .
Investigating At1g01540 kinase activity requires combining antibody techniques with functional assays:
Immunoprecipitation-coupled kinase assay:
Immunoprecipitate At1g01540 from plant extracts using the antibody
Incubate immunoprecipitates with candidate substrates in kinase buffer containing ATP
Detect substrate phosphorylation via:
Radioactive assay (γ-32P-ATP incorporation)
Phospho-specific antibodies
Mass spectrometry
In-gel kinase assay:
Separate proteins by SDS-PAGE with substrate incorporated in the gel
Renature proteins in the gel
Perform kinase reaction within the gel
Detect At1g01540 activity band by autoradiography
Confirm identity by Western blot of parallel lane
Phosphorylation state analysis:
Use phosphate-affinity SDS-PAGE (Phos-tag)
Detect At1g01540 with the antibody
Analyze mobility shifts indicating phosphorylation
Treat samples with phosphatase to confirm shifts are phosphorylation-dependent
These approaches enable functional characterization of At1g01540 beyond mere protein detection, providing insights into its enzymatic activity and regulation .
Identifying At1g01540 interaction partners provides crucial insights into its biological function. The following methodological approaches leverage the At1g01540 antibody for interaction studies:
Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP):
Lyse plant tissues under non-denaturing conditions
Immunoprecipitate At1g01540 using the antibody
Analyze co-precipitated proteins by:
Western blot with antibodies against candidate interactors
Mass spectrometry for unbiased discovery of novel interactors
Proximity-dependent labeling:
Generate fusion proteins of At1g01540 with biotin ligase (BioID)
Express in Arabidopsis
Purify biotinylated proteins after activation
Identify by mass spectrometry
Validate interactions using reciprocal Co-IP with At1g01540 antibody
Pull-down assays:
Express recombinant At1g01540 with affinity tag
Incubate with plant lysates
Identify bound proteins
Confirm physiological relevance using the antibody in Co-IP from plant tissues
Far-Western analysis:
Separate potential interacting proteins by SDS-PAGE
Transfer to membrane
Incubate with recombinant At1g01540
Detect bound At1g01540 using the antibody
These complementary approaches provide a comprehensive view of At1g01540's protein interaction network and cellular functions .
Researchers frequently encounter technical challenges when working with At1g01540 antibody. This troubleshooting guide addresses common Western blot issues:
| Problem | Possible Causes | Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| No signal | Insufficient protein | Increase loading amount (40-60 μg), check extraction efficiency |
| Antibody concentration too low | Decrease dilution (try 1:250-1:500) | |
| Inefficient transfer | Optimize transfer conditions for ~52 kDa proteins | |
| Protein degradation | Add fresh protease inhibitors, maintain cold chain | |
| High background | Insufficient blocking | Extend blocking time (2-3 hours or overnight) |
| Antibody concentration too high | Increase dilution (try 1:2000-1:5000) | |
| Insufficient washing | Add more wash steps (5-6 washes, 10 minutes each) | |
| Multiple bands | Post-translational modifications | Compare with dephosphorylated samples |
| Non-specific binding | Increase antibody dilution, optimize blocking | |
| Cross-reactivity | Pre-absorb antibody with non-target proteins | |
| Wrong size band | Protein processing/cleavage | Investigate tissue-specific processing |
| Alternative splicing | Compare with recombinant At1g01540 |
Systematic troubleshooting using this guide helps achieve specific and reproducible At1g01540 detection in plant samples .
Validating antibody specificity is critical for reliable research outcomes. For At1g01540 antibody, implement these methodological approaches:
Genetic validation:
Compare Western blot signals between wild-type and At1g01540 knockout/knockdown lines
Test antibody against tissues with varying At1g01540 expression levels
Expected outcome: Signal intensity should correlate with expression level
Molecular validation:
Perform immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry
Analyze whether At1g01540 is the predominantly enriched protein
Expected outcome: At1g01540 identified as major component
Competitive inhibition:
Pre-incubate antibody with excess recombinant At1g01540 protein
Compare results with non-competed antibody on identical samples
Expected outcome: Specific signal should be abolished or significantly reduced
Cross-species reactivity:
Test antibody against related plant species with varying degrees of sequence homology
Expected outcome: Signal strength should correlate with sequence conservation
These validation approaches provide cumulative evidence for antibody specificity, enhancing confidence in experimental results .
Investigating At1g01540 dynamics during stress responses requires sophisticated experimental designs:
Stress treatment time-course analysis:
Subject Arabidopsis plants to relevant stresses (drought, salinity, temperature, pathogens)
Collect samples at defined intervals (0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 hours)
Process for protein extraction under conditions preserving modifications
Analyze At1g01540 levels and modifications by Western blot
Subcellular redistribution studies:
Fractionate cells into subcellular compartments
Analyze At1g01540 distribution using the antibody
Monitor translocation between compartments following stress
Correlate with activation status through phosphorylation analysis
Protein stability assessment:
Treat plants with translation inhibitors (cycloheximide)
Monitor At1g01540 degradation kinetics with and without stress
Calculate protein half-life under different conditions
Investigate proteolytic processing through Western blot band pattern
Data presentation format:
| Stress Condition | Protein Level Change | Phosphorylation Status | Subcellular Localization Shift | Half-life (hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | Baseline | Baseline | Primarily cytosolic | 12-14 |
| Drought (300 mM mannitol) | ↑ 2.3-fold at 6h | ↑ 3.1-fold at 3h | Nuclear accumulation | 8-10 |
| Cold (4°C) | ↑ 1.7-fold at 12h | ↑ 1.5-fold at 6h | Membrane association | 16-18 |
| Pathogen (Pseudomonas) | ↑ 3.4-fold at 24h | ↑ 4.2-fold at 12h | Nuclear-cytoplasmic | 6-8 |
This multifaceted approach reveals how At1g01540 functions within plant stress response pathways .
As a kinase, At1g01540 is likely regulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs). The following methodologies enable comprehensive PTM analysis:
Phosphorylation analysis:
Phosphate-affinity SDS-PAGE (Phos-tag)
Detect with At1g01540 antibody
Compare migration patterns with and without phosphatase treatment
Immunoprecipitate At1g01540 and analyze by mass spectrometry
Multiple PTM detection workflow:
Immunoprecipitate At1g01540 using the antibody
Divide sample for different analyses:
Phosphorylation: Anti-phosphoserine/threonine antibodies
Ubiquitination: Anti-ubiquitin antibodies
SUMOylation: Anti-SUMO antibodies
Confirm with mass spectrometry for site identification
Site-directed mutagenesis validation:
Generate recombinant At1g01540 with mutated modification sites
Express in Arabidopsis
Compare PTM patterns with wild-type protein
Correlate with functional changes in kinase activity
PTM crosstalk analysis:
Sequential immunoprecipitation with At1g01540 antibody followed by PTM-specific antibodies
Investigate how one modification affects others
Analyze temporal sequence of modifications during signaling events
This comprehensive approach reveals regulatory mechanisms controlling At1g01540 activity and provides insights into its signaling functions .
Integrating At1g01540 antibody into systems biology frameworks enables comprehensive understanding of its role within broader cellular networks:
Multi-omics integration methodology:
Proteomics: Quantify At1g01540 protein levels using the antibody
Phosphoproteomics: Identify At1g01540 substrates and phosphorylation sites
Transcriptomics: Correlate with At1g01540 transcript levels
Metabolomics: Link to downstream metabolic changes
Phenomics: Connect to plant physiological responses
Protein interaction network mapping:
Use At1g01540 antibody for co-immunoprecipitation
Identify interactors by mass spectrometry
Validate key interactions by reciprocal co-IP
Construct interaction networks using computational tools
Map kinase-substrate relationships
Dynamic signaling pathway reconstruction:
Measure temporal changes in At1g01540 level, localization, and modification
Correlate with substrate phosphorylation kinetics
Develop mathematical models of signaling cascades
Test predictions through targeted perturbations
Cross-species comparative analysis:
Use the antibody to detect At1g01540 orthologs in related species if cross-reactive
Compare conservation of regulation and function
Identify evolutionarily conserved vs. species-specific roles
This systems-level approach positions At1g01540 research within the broader context of plant biology, revealing emergent properties not apparent from reductionist approaches .
Immunoprecipitation (IP) with At1g01540 antibody requires careful optimization for successful protein complex isolation:
Buffer optimization:
Lysis buffer composition affects complex preservation
Test different detergents (Triton X-100, NP-40, digitonin)
Adjust salt concentration to balance specificity and yield
Include stabilizers (glycerol) and protease/phosphatase inhibitors
Antibody coupling strategies:
Direct approach: Couple antibody to protein A/G beads
Indirect approach: Add antibody to lysate before bead addition
Crosslinking: Stabilize antibody-bead interaction with crosslinkers
Compare recovery efficiency across methods
Experimental controls:
Input sample: Pre-IP lysate to assess efficiency
No-antibody control: Beads alone to identify non-specific binding
Isotype control: Irrelevant antibody of same isotype
Competitive peptide: Pre-incubate antibody with immunizing peptide
Elution strategies:
Denaturing: SDS buffer for maximum recovery
Native: Peptide competition for gentle elution
Acid elution: For preserving certain interactions
Compare recovery and interaction preservation
Downstream applications:
Western blot: Detect specific interactors
Mass spectrometry: Unbiased identification of complexes
Activity assays: Measure enzymatic function of purified complexes
This methodological framework maximizes the utility of At1g01540 antibody for isolating functional protein complexes in research applications .