Cytochrome c Keeps on Giving—A Conformational Change Detected in Situ with an Antibody Probe Adds to the Intricacies of Its Cellular Functions

Author(s): Professor. Ronald Jemmerson

Beyond its well-established roles in electron transport within mitochondria and activation of the apoptotic peptidase cascade in the cytoplasm, cytochrome c (Cyt c) has been implicated in several functions at other locations, both inside and outside the cell. A monoclonal antibody (mAb) that detects a conformational change in Cyt c in situ has recently been recovered from “the ashes” by genetic engineering and should be useful in furthering analysis of the roles of Cyt c in the cell, in particular, in the nucleus. The approach employed to define the conformational specificity of anti-Cyt c mAbs could be applied to discover antibodies specific for other conformationally-altered antigens that may be useful probes in studies of cell biology.

View PDF View Fulltext