title: A monoclonal antibody specific for BK virus large T-antigen (clone BK.T-1) also binds the human Ku autoantigen.
abstract: A monoclonal antibody directed against the BK virus large T-antigen (clone BK.T-1) has previously been used to evaluate BKV-T antigen (BKV-TAg) expression. However, our experience showed a consistent reactivity to uninfected human, but not rodent cells and tissues. Using immunoprecipitation, Western analysis, amino acid sequencing and end-point dilution analysis, we analysed the BK.T-1 antibody reactivity and identified the bound cellular protein. The results clearly show that the antibody recognizes the large subunit (Ku86) of the Ku autoantigen, the regulatory component of the DNA-PKcs. We also demonstrated that the antibody retained its original reactivity in BKV-TAg transformed hamster kidney cells. The cross-reaction of the BK.T-1 antibody suggests a possible similarity between BKV-TAg and Ku86, but makes the antibody unsuitable for studies of BKV large T-antigen in the human cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California, CA 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zambrano
authors.forename: Luis P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Villarreal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor / Q000276:immunology*; D001739:BK Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D004265:DNA Helicases; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011233:Precipitin Tests
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D000957:Antigens, Viral, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D004265:DNA Helicases; C106893:XRCC5 protein, human; C000606509:Xrcc6 protein, human; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen