Identification of a protein product of the myotonic dystrophy gene using peptide specific antibodies.

In order to identify the protein product of the recently characterised myotonic dystrophy gene, we have raised an antibody (DMAP1) to a peptide sequence of the predicted gene product. This antibody identifies a novel 52 kDa protein in a range of mouse tissues, and in addition a related 42 kDa protein in brain and heart. A second antibody raised to a different peptide from the same predicted sequence, also identifies the 52 kDa protein, which strongly implies that this 52 kDa protein is a major translation product of the myotonic dystrophy gene.