Generation and application of polyclonal antibodies against low molecular weight purple acid phosphatase

There exists two groups of purple acid phosphatases(PAPs). Mammalian PAPs, which are monomers with molecular weight in the range of 33 000-40 000. Pla nt PAPs, which are dimers or tetramers containing identical subunits of abo ut 55 000. Recently the gene of low molecular weight PAPs (smPAPs) was foun d in plant. They are significantly similar to mammalian PAPs' but quite dif ferent from plant PAPs'. In order to understand the exact function of the p rotein and its distribution in plant, we cloned the sweet potato smPAP gene in pGEX-2T vector and expressed the fusion protein in E. coli. The express ed fusion protein was used to generate polyclonal antibodies. The antibodie s demonstrated a good reactivity towards the smPAP expressed in baculovirus and PAPs partially purified from sweet potato juice. Therefore, the antibo dies make it possible to purify and characterize the smPAP.