The use of monoclonal antibody to study the functional properties of RNA polymerase II subunits

Monoclonal antibodies were raised in mouse against purified calf thymus RNA polymerase II. Three stable hybridoma lines were identified and found to secrete IgM type antibodies. The antibody produced by one clone was found to be directed against the large subunits (IIb and IIc) of the enzyme. In an immuno-blot of electrophoretically separated subunits the monoclonal antibody recognised antigenic determinant on the largest polypeptides of several eukaryotic RNA polymerases II tested. In an in vitro transcription system, this antibody is found to inhibit the specific transcription from the adenovirus major late promoter only when the extract is preincubated with the antibody in the absence of DNA.

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