title: Immunodetection of partially glycosylated isoforms of alpha-dystroglycan by a new monoclonal antibody against its beta-dystroglycan-binding epitope.
abstract: The alpha/beta dystroglycan (DG) complex links the extracellular matrix to the actin cytoskeleton. The extensive glycosylation of alpha-DG is believed to be crucial for the interaction with its extracellular matrix-binding partners. We characterized a monoclonal antibody, directed against the beta-DG-binding epitope ( approximately positions 550-565), which recognizes preferentially hypoglycosylated alpha-DG. In Western blot, the antibody was able to detect a number of partially glycosylated alpha-DG isoforms from rat brain and chicken skeletal muscle tissue samples. In addition, we demonstrated its inhibitory effect on the interaction between alpha- and beta-DG in vitro and preliminary immunostaining experiments suggest that such hypoglycosylated alpha-DG isoforms could play a role within cells.
authors.affiliation: CNR, Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare c/o Istituto di Biochimica e Biochimica Clinica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pavoni
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sciandra
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barca
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.forename: Tamara Corinna
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Petrucci
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brancaccio
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D019921:Biotinylation; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology; D049030:Dystroglycans / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000276:immunology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D049030:Dystroglycans