Monoclonal antibodies to bovine alpha-crystallin

Monoclonal antibodies to bovine alpha-crystallin have been produced using hybridoma technology. Five selected hybridoma clones were maintained as ascites tumours in mice and gram quantities of the antibodies were purified from the ascites fluids by affinity chromatography on alpha m-crystallin covalently bound to Sepharose CL-2B. Preliminary characterization studies suggest that the antibodies are pure and monospecific. The antibodies could be divided into two groups on the basis of their reactivities towards iodinated alpha-crystallin, their ability to bind to Protein A-Sepharose, their immunoglobulin subclass, their immunoelectrophoretic patterns and their abilities to react with chicken and opossum alpha-crystallin. The availability of these monoclonal antibodies will greatly facilitate studies on the surface topography of alpha-crystallin.