Merck, T6199-200UL, Anti-α-Tubulin antibody, Mouse monoclonal

Anti-α-Tubulin antibody, Mouse monoclonal (mouse IgG1 isotype) is derived from the hybridoma DM1A produced by the fusion of mouse myeloma cells (NS1) and splenocytes from BALB/c mice immunized with purified chick brain tubulin. The isotype is determined by a double diffusion immunoassay using Mouse Monoclonal Antibody Isotyping Reagents, Product Number ISO2. Tubulin is the major building block of microtubules. This intracellular, cylindrical, filamentous structure is present in almost all eukaryotic cells. Microtubules function as structural and mobile elements in mitosis, intracellular transport, flagellar movement, and the cytoskeleton. Tubulin is a heterodimer that consists of α-tubulin and β-tubulin. Both subunits have a molecular weight of approx. 50 kDa and share considerable homology. In addition to α- and β-tubulin, several other tubulins have been identified, bringing the number of distinct tubulin classes to seven. Most of these tubulins have distinct subcellular localization and an emerging diverse set of functions. Out of the seven different tubulins four new members of the tubulin family were identified recently, which consist of δ, ξ, η and ε-tubulin. η and ε-tubulins were discovered by database searches. Microtubular systems contain at least three α-tubulin isoforms. Two isoforms are coded by two α-tubulin genes, which are both transcribed and code for extremely similar proteins. The third isoform is generated by post-translational modification. At least three modifications of tubulin subunits have been described: the phosphorylation of β-tubulin from brain, the removal of the carboxy terminal tyrosine form a-tubulin in vertebrate tissues, and the acetylation of the amino group of lysine(s) in α-tubulin. α -tubulin, also called tubulin α 4a (TUBA4A), is mapped to human chromosome 2q35. The gene codes for a member of the α -tubulin family, and contains 448 amino acids. α-subunit of tubulin has molecular weight of 50,000. Monoclonal antibodies recognizing α-tubulin, together with monoclonal antibodies to other tubulin types (β, β-tubulin isotype I +II, β-tubulin isotype III, tyrosine tubulin, and the acetylated form of α-tubulin) provide a specific and useful tool in studying the intracellular distribution of tubulin and the static and dynamic aspects of cytoskeleton.