Characterization of a monoclonal antibody prepared against plant actin.

Anti-actin monoclonal antibodies were prepared using phalloidin-stabilized actin that was purified from pea roots by DNase I affinity chromatography. One monoclonal antibody, designated mAb3H11, bound plant actin in preliminary screenings and was further analyzed. Immunoblot analysis showed that this antibody had a high affinity for plant actin in crude and purified preparations but a low affinity for rabbit muscle actin. In immunoblots of plant extracts separated on two-dimensional gels it appeared to bind all actin isoforms recognized by the JLA20 anti-chicken actin antibody. Using immunofluorescent cytochemistry, the antibody was used to observe actin filaments in aldehyde-fixed and methanol-treated tobacco protoplasts. These results indicate that mAb3H11 should be a useful reagent for the study of plant actins.