Mouse monoclonal antibodies against antigenic domains on phytochrome from plants (angiosperms). (11 lines)

Applications Phytochrome is a photomorphogenically active pigment thatmodulates plant growth and development with respect to incident light intensityand wavelength distribution. It exists in two forms: an inactive, red-absorbingform (Pr), and an active far-red-absorbing form (Pfr). When either absorbslight, it is photoconverted to the other. Phytochrome is a dimeric,water-soluble, relatively labile chromoprotein with similar, if not identical,monomers of about 124 kDa each. It is also a relatively low abundance protein,even under the best of conditions. Genetic manipulation of phytochromeexpression in plants leads to plants requiring less light and able to divertmore energy to the production of fruits and seeds. For its physicochemicalcharacterization, it has therefore been difficult to utilize techniques thatrequire large quantities of highly purified protein. Consequently, indirectmethods for elucidating its structure/function relationships are especiallyimportant. Antibodies Oat-8, Oat-13, Oat-16, Oat-22, Oat-25, Oat-28 and Pea-25were developed to study and characterize phytochromes and, more importantly,map and probe specific epitopes from Avenasativa L. (both green and etiolated) and applicable to other Poaceae(Gramineae). These are also applicable to other angiosperms.

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