The SPBC16E9.20 gene (systematic ID) corresponds to sup11+, a multicopy suppressor of conditionally lethal O-mannosylation mutants in S. pombe. Sup11p shares homology with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Kre9, a protein involved in β-1,6-glucan synthesis . Key features include:
Essentiality: sup11+ is critical for cell viability; its depletion causes severe morphological defects and cell wall abnormalities .
Function: Required for β-1,6-glucan formation and proper septum assembly during cytokinesis .
Post-translational modification: Sup11p undergoes O-mannosylation, and hypo-mannosylation in mutant backgrounds exposes an atypical N-X-A sequon for N-glycosylation .
Sup11p depletion disrupts β-1,6-glucan synthesis, leading to:
Cell wall defects: Loss of β-1,6-glucan polymers and compensatory accumulation of β-1,3-glucan at aberrant septal sites .
Septum malformation: Thickened, irregular septa with mislocalized Gas2p (a β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase), indicating dysregulated cell wall remodeling .
Knockdown of sup11+ upregulates glucanases (e.g., ags1+, bgs4+) and downregulates glucan synthase (bgs1+), highlighting its regulatory role in cell wall integrity .
Sup11p’s O-mannosylation masks an N-X-A sequon, which becomes accessible for N-glycosylation in oma4Δ mutants, demonstrating competition between glycosylation pathways .
The antibody is utilized in:
Localization studies: Immunofluorescence and Western blotting to track Sup11p expression and distribution .
Functional assays: Assessing β-1,6-glucan levels via PAS-silver staining and cell wall biotinylation in knockdown mutants .
Phenotypic analysis: Monitoring septum defects and cell viability in conditional mutants .
KEGG: spo:SPBC16E9.20
STRING: 4896.SPBC16E9.20.1
SPBC16E9.20 is a systematic gene identifier in Schizosaccharomyces pombe (fission yeast) that encodes a protein of significant research interest. Like antibodies developed against other specific proteins (such as SpA5 in Staphylococcus aureus), antibodies targeting SPBC16E9.20 allow researchers to study protein expression, localization, and function in cellular contexts. The importance of targeted antibodies in research is exemplified by studies like those investigating SpA5, where high-throughput single-cell RNA and VDJ sequencing of memory B cells was used to identify highly specific antibodies with nanomolar binding affinity . For SPBC16E9.20 research, similarly specific antibodies would enable precise detection and functional analysis of this protein in experimental systems.
Validating antibody specificity is crucial for experimental reliability. A comprehensive validation approach should include:
Western blot analysis comparing wild-type and SPBC16E9.20 knockout/knockdown strains
Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry verification
Competitive binding assays with recombinant SPBC16E9.20
Immunofluorescence comparisons with tagged SPBC16E9.20 constructs
This multi-method validation approach is similar to what researchers used for the SpA5 antibody, where they "ultrasonically fragmented and centrifuged the bacterial fluid, took the supernatant and coincubated it with antibody Abs-9 overnight, then bound it with protein A beads the next day, and collected the eluate for mass spectrometry detection" . This process confirmed that the antibody specifically targeted the intended antigen.
SPBC16E9.20 antibodies can be employed in multiple research techniques:
| Technique | Typical Application | Recommended Dilution | Sample Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Blot | Protein expression quantification | 1:1000 - 1:5000 | Denatured protein lysates |
| Immunoprecipitation | Protein complex identification | 2-5 μg per sample | Native protein complexes |
| Immunofluorescence | Subcellular localization | 1:100 - 1:500 | Fixed and permeabilized cells |
| ChIP | DNA-protein interactions | 2-10 μg per reaction | Cross-linked chromatin |
| ELISA | Quantitative detection | 1:500 - 1:2000 | Purified protein or cell lysates |
The selection of appropriate application should be guided by the specific research question, as demonstrated in antibody research where techniques like ELISA were used to "detect the activity of antibodies against five antigens" with clear affinity measurements .
Optimizing immunoprecipitation (IP) with SPBC16E9.20 antibodies requires careful consideration of several parameters:
Lysis buffer composition: Test multiple buffer compositions (RIPA, NP-40, Triton X-100) to preserve protein-protein interactions while efficiently extracting SPBC16E9.20
Antibody concentration: Titrate antibody amounts (1-10 μg) to determine optimal signal-to-noise ratio
Incubation conditions: Compare overnight incubation at 4°C versus shorter incubations at higher temperatures
Bead selection: Compare protein A, protein G, or conjugated magnetic beads for capture efficiency
Washing stringency: Develop a washing protocol that removes non-specific interactions while preserving specific binding
This approach parallels methods used for other antibodies, such as when researchers binding with protein A beads and collecting eluate for downstream analysis . For SPBC16E9.20, the optimization process may require additional steps to account for yeast-specific cellular components.
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) can significantly impact antibody recognition of target proteins:
Phosphorylation sites may enhance or inhibit antibody binding depending on epitope location
Ubiquitination or SUMOylation can mask epitopes or create steric hindrance
Glycosylation patterns may interfere with antibody access to protein epitopes
When investigating PTMs of SPBC16E9.20, researchers should:
Use modification-specific antibodies in parallel with general SPBC16E9.20 antibodies
Treat samples with appropriate enzymes (phosphatases, deglycosylases) to remove specific modifications
Compare detection in different cellular compartments where modifications may vary
Consider using recombinant protein standards with defined modification states
This parallels the structural analysis approaches seen in antibody research where "3D theoretical structures were constructed using alphafold2 method" to understand binding interactions .
Epitope mapping is essential for understanding antibody functionality and specificity:
Peptide arrays: Synthesize overlapping peptides spanning the SPBC16E9.20 sequence to identify linear epitopes
Mutagenesis: Create point mutations in recombinant SPBC16E9.20 to identify critical binding residues
Hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry: Map regions of altered exchange rates upon antibody binding
X-ray crystallography or cryo-EM: Determine the three-dimensional structure of the antibody-antigen complex
Computational prediction: Use molecular docking software to predict binding sites
Similar approaches have been successfully employed in antibody research, where "the 3D complex structure of Abs-9 and SpA5 was obtained using molecular docking software" and "the binding epitope was predicted and validated" . For SPBC16E9.20 antibodies, computational approaches combined with experimental validation would provide robust epitope characterization.
Cross-reactivity can significantly impact experimental results. Addressing this issue requires:
Bioinformatic analysis: Identify proteins with sequence or structural similarity to SPBC16E9.20
Pre-absorption controls: Incubate antibody with recombinant SPBC16E9.20 before use in experiments to block specific binding
Knockout/knockdown validation: Compare signal in wild-type versus SPBC16E9.20-depleted samples
Western blot analysis across multiple species: Test for unexpected bands of different molecular weights
Mass spectrometry validation: Identify all proteins precipitated by the antibody
The importance of specificity testing is highlighted in antibody research where "in order to exclude the effect of non-specific binding, researchers ultrasonically fragmented and centrifuged the bacterial fluid, took the supernatant and coincubated it with antibody" .
For successful immunofluorescence with SPBC16E9.20 antibodies, consider:
Fixation method: Compare paraformaldehyde (preserves structure) versus methanol (better for some epitopes)
Permeabilization: Test various detergents (Triton X-100, saponin) at different concentrations
Blocking solutions: Evaluate BSA, normal serum, or commercial blockers for background reduction
Primary antibody incubation: Optimize concentration (1:100-1:1000) and incubation time/temperature
Signal amplification: Consider tyramide signal amplification for low-abundance proteins
The table below summarizes optimization parameters:
| Parameter | Options to Test | Evaluation Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Fixation | 4% PFA (10-20 min), Methanol (-20°C, 5-10 min) | Signal intensity, morphology preservation |
| Permeabilization | 0.1-0.5% Triton X-100, 0.1-0.3% saponin | Antibody penetration, cellular structure |
| Blocking | 5% BSA, 10% normal serum, commercial blockers | Background reduction |
| Antibody dilution | 1:100, 1:250, 1:500, 1:1000 | Signal-to-noise ratio |
| Incubation conditions | 1h room temp, overnight 4°C | Signal intensity, specificity |
This methodical approach to optimization parallels the careful characterization of antibody-antigen interactions seen in research where binding conditions were systematically evaluated .
Investigating protein-protein interactions with SPBC16E9.20 antibodies can be approached through:
Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP): Pull down SPBC16E9.20 and identify binding partners by Western blot or mass spectrometry
Proximity ligation assay (PLA): Visualize interactions between SPBC16E9.20 and candidate partners in situ
FRET/BRET analysis: Measure energy transfer between fluorescently tagged SPBC16E9.20 and potential interactors
Crosslinking immunoprecipitation: Chemically crosslink protein complexes before immunoprecipitation
Yeast two-hybrid screening with antibody validation: Confirm Y2H interactions using antibody-based methods
Similar to approaches where researchers used "protein A beads and collected the eluate for mass spectrometry detection" , SPBC16E9.20 interaction studies would benefit from combining multiple techniques to establish confidence in the identified interactions.
When working with low-abundance SPBC16E9.20, consider these approaches:
Sample enrichment: Use subcellular fractionation to concentrate compartments where SPBC16E9.20 is localized
Signal amplification: Implement tyramide signal amplification or poly-HRP detection systems
Antibody concentration optimization: Test higher antibody concentrations carefully balanced against increased background
Enhanced chemiluminescence substrates: Use high-sensitivity ECL reagents for Western blotting
Immunoprecipitation before Western blotting: Concentrate the protein before analysis
The importance of sensitivity is underscored by antibody research demonstrating nanomolar affinity measurements (KD value of 1.959 × 10⁻⁹ M) , which enables detection of proteins even at low concentrations.
Robust experimental design requires appropriate controls:
Positive controls:
Recombinant SPBC16E9.20 protein
Overexpression systems
Samples with known high expression
Negative controls:
SPBC16E9.20 knockout/knockdown samples
Pre-immune serum or isotype control antibodies
Competing peptide blocking
Procedural controls:
Secondary antibody-only controls
Non-specific primary antibody controls
Processing controls (samples processed identically except for antibody addition)
This multi-level control strategy parallels approaches used in antibody research where multiple control experiments were conducted to "exclude the effect of non-specific binding" .
Accurate quantification of SPBC16E9.20 requires appropriate methodological approaches:
Western blot quantification:
Use standard curves with recombinant protein
Normalize to total protein (Ponceau S) rather than single housekeeping proteins
Employ digital image analysis with linear dynamic range verification
ELISA-based quantification:
Develop sandwich ELISA with capture and detection antibodies
Create standard curves with purified SPBC16E9.20
Validate assay reproducibility across multiple concentrations
Flow cytometry quantification:
Use fluorescence calibration beads to standardize measurements
Include antibody saturation controls
Analyze median fluorescence intensity rather than mean values
Similar methodological rigor was applied in antibody research where "Biolayer Interferometry to measure the affinity of different concentrations of antigen" was used to obtain precise measurements .
Minimizing the impact of antibody variability requires:
Characterization of each batch:
Test new lots alongside previous lots
Compare affinity, specificity, and performance in all planned applications
Create standard operating procedures for acceptance criteria
Reference standard maintenance:
Maintain aliquots of well-characterized antibody lots as references
Create positive control lysates/samples for comparative testing
Document lot-specific optimal working dilutions
Validation strategies:
Multiple antibody approach (use antibodies targeting different epitopes)
Genetic validation (knockout/knockdown controls with each new batch)
Application-specific validation for each technique
This approach recognizes the critical importance of antibody consistency in research, paralleling the careful characterization of antibodies where "nanomolar affinity" was precisely measured to ensure reliability .
Detecting SPBC16E9.20 across cellular compartments presents unique challenges:
Accessibility limitations:
Nuclear proteins may require enhanced permeabilization protocols
Membrane-associated forms may need specialized detergents
Chromatin-bound protein detection may require sonication or nuclease treatment
Compartment-specific modifications:
PTMs may differ between cytoplasmic and nuclear pools
Processing events may create truncated forms in specific compartments
Complexed forms may mask epitopes in particular locations
Methodological adaptations:
Subcellular fractionation before Western blotting
Differential permeabilization in immunofluorescence
Epitope retrieval optimization for each compartment
This parallels the structural analysis approaches in antibody research where understanding the "3D complex structure" and "predicted and validated antigenic epitopes" was essential for optimal detection .