December 2020 News
We add new data concerning our three SARS-CoV2 spike protein cell binding domain antibodies which, we now show, strongly bind to Vero cells infected with patient derived SARS-CoV2 virus. Vero cells are a cell line derived from monkey kidney which express a membrane localized ACE2 receptor very similar to the human form and are therefore susceptible to SARS-CoV2 spike protein binding, internalization and infection. Infected and control Vero cells were grown in culture, fixed, and stained with the DNA dye DAPI, revealing cell nuclei. Cells were then reacted with EnCor antibodies to the cell binding domain of the SARS-CoV2 spike protein, namely MCA-2G1, MCA-5G8 and RPCA-SARS-CoV2-bd. The virus could clearly be seen to accumulate in the cytoplasm of infected cells, press here to see the relevant image.
We also continue to experiment with our confocal microscope and can now reliably produce four color images making use of our growing collection of antibodies made in different animal species. For example we just deposited a four color image of HeLa cells to Wikipedia. This image was made using our mouse monoclonal to β-tubulin MCA-1B12 in green, rabbit antibody to HSP60 RPCA-HSP60 in yellow, chicken antibody to fibrillarin CPCA-Fib in red and with the DAPI DNA stain in magenta. The β-tubulin antibody reveals the microtubular cytoskeleton, the HSP60 reveals mitochondria, the fibrillarin antibody reveals nucleoli and the DAPI reveals cell nuclei. A link to this Wikipedia image is here.
We also continue to add to the characterization of our monoclonal antibodies with more epitope data on our mouse monoclonal antibody to neurofilament NF-L MCA-1B11. The epitope is dependent on a short peptide at the beginning of the “Coil 2” region now known, by analogy to the structure of the related protein vimentin, to correspond to a continuous almost straight α-helix. Interestingly the two monoclonal antibodies to NF-L used in the Uman NF-light Assay and also in the Quanterix Simoa NF-light Advantage Assay both bind to this same small region. We will provide more specific information on these findings shortly and will likely publish a detailed scientific report on these and other findings we have made on widely available NF-L antibodies.
Finally we open an Etsy store, see here! So far we only listed our brain cell wrapping paper but other products will be added in the near future. Oh, and best wishes for a safe and Happy Holiday Season!!
