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Published on: May 5, 2020
A monoclonal antibody toolkit for C. elegans
Gayla Hadwiger1, Scott Dour, Swathi Arur
1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America.
Plos One
|April 21, 2010
Summary
Researchers developed new monoclonal antibodies for C. elegans research, targeting various cellular and subcellular components. These essential reagents are now available, advancing biological studies in model organisms.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Antibodies are indispensable tools in biological research.
- Commercial antibody availability is limited for model organisms compared to vertebrates.
- Research labs often rely on commercially available reagents for vertebrate studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To produce a comprehensive set of monoclonal antibodies for C. elegans research.
- To generate reagents targeting diverse subcellular and cellular components.
- To support research in model organisms where such tools are scarce.
Main Methods:
- Production of monoclonal antibodies against specific proteins.
- Testing antibody efficacy in whole mount immunocytochemistry.
- Validation of antibody performance in western blots for biochemical studies.
Main Results:
- Successfully generated monoclonal antibodies against numerous proteins, including synaptobrevin, Rim, TAC-1, HCP-4, ORC-2, NOPP140, lamin, EHD1, caveolin, cytochrome P450, beta-1,3-glucuronyltransferase, HSP-60, LAMP, PAS-7, dynamin, APA-2, DLG-1, HMR-1, ERM-1, LET-413, and SAX-7.
- Antibodies label specific subcellular compartments (e.g., synaptic vesicles, centrosomes, chromosomes, nuclear envelope, endosomes, Golgi, mitochondria, lysosomes) and cellular structures (e.g., active zones, adherens junctions, membranes).
- Most antibodies are effective in both immunocytochemistry and western blotting.
Conclusions:
- A valuable set of monoclonal antibodies targeting C. elegans subcellular components has been developed.
- These reagents are crucial for advancing research in the nematode model system.
- The antibodies are accessible to the research community via the Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank (DSHB).
