title: Antigenic prenylated peptide conjugates and polyclonal antibodies to detect protein prenylation.
abstract: Posttranslational modification of proteins with farnesyl and geranylgeranyl groups is a required modification for signaling proteins that includes the small GTPases in the Ras, Rho, and Rab families, heterotrimeric G proteins, and nuclear lamin proteins. To develop antibodies capable of detecting and distinguishing prenylated proteins, we synthesized two antigens, succinylglycine-(geranylgeranyl)cysteine methyl ester (SuccG-(gg)CMe, 1) and succinylglycine-(farnesyl)cysteine methyl ester (SuccG-(f)CMe, 2). These prenylated peptides were covalently coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) to produce polyvalent, immunogenic bioconjugates. Immunization of rabbits with these immunogens generated polyclonal antisera that contained significant titers of anti-geranylgeranyl and anti-farnesyl antibodies. The selectivity of the polyclonal antisera was examined using ELISA and dot blotting methods. The anti-farnesyl and anti-geranylgeranyl antisera crossreacted with both antigens. Attempts to purify the polyclonal antisera by either positive or negative immunoaffinity selection protocols failed to produce selective anti-geranylgeranyl and anti-farnesyl antibodies. Moreover, both crude antisera and purified antibodies also crossreacted with myristoylated and palmitoylated BSA conjugates. Immunofluorescence staining of EYFP-CVLL or EYFP-CVIM transfected CHO-K1 cells with rabbit polyclonal antisera showed colocalized membrane fluorescence. Thus, an important caveat for the use of antibodies raised against aliphatic antigens is that extensive controls must be performed to determine selectivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry and the Center for Cell Signaling, The University of Utah, 419 Wakara Way, Suite 205, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108-1257, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao-hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dae-Yeon
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Call
authors.forename: Glenn D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Prestwich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016466:CHO Cells; D002417:Cattle; D006224:Cricetinae; D006241:Haptens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017368:Protein Prenylation; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D006241:Haptens; D010455:Peptides; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin