Agrisera blog

Versatile ECL reagent set, which can save your day!

Question: If something goes wrong with the development of a Western blot with ECL, or if I have too high background or too low signal, can I redo the reaction on the same blot?

Answer: Yes! Within the same day. 
Simply wash the membrane with the appropriate washing buffer, used in your protocol, 1-2 times for 5-10 minutes, and apply another one of the ECL reagents from the Agrisera ECL reagent set. If there is too much background, and a very strong band for the target protein, apply Agrisera ECL Bright. If a target protein band is not detected, apply Agrisera ECL SuperBright

If you want to learn more about how to improve your Western blot, click here.
 
 
   Agrisera's versatile ECL set of 2 reagents with different sensitivity

Blot A shows an abundant photosynthetic protein, PsbA, visualized with too sensitive of a reagent, which was washed away, and the membrane was subsequently developed with less sensitive Agrisera ECL Bright (Blot B). 

Read more 2024-03-28

Take advantage of Agrisera antibodies to proteins involved in response to plant pathogen attack

As plants cannot move and change their habitat quickly as animals can, they have instead developed other amazing strategies to cope with various pathogen attacks. Listed below are some examples of plant pathogens.

Fungal diseases: These pathogens typically thrive in warm, moist conditions and can infect various parts of the plant, such as leaves, stems, fruits, and roots.
Bacterial diseases: Bacterial pathogens infect plants through wounds or natural openings, causing diseases like bacterial wilt, leaf spot, and soft rot, and can spread rapidly through the whole plant.
Viral diseases: Viruses can infect plants through vectors such as insects, nematodes, and even human activities, like grafting. Viral diseases can significantly reduce crop yields and quality.
Nematode damage: Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that feed on plant roots, leading to reduced nutrient uptake and stunted growth. Root-knot nematodes, for example, cause the formation of galls on roots, interfering with water and nutrient absorption.

All antibodies to proteins involved in environmental stress response are offered at a 20% discount until the end of March. Use discount code Stress20.
 
 
 Agrisera Antibodies to proteins involved in response to pathogen attack

Read more 2024-03-23

Agrisera supports Jan Andersson Award of the Australian Society of Plant Scientists

Agrisera is sponsoring this year's Jan Anderson Award, granted by the Australian Society of Plant Scientists

Joan (Jan) Mary Anderson was an adjunct professor at the Australian National University. She received an honorary doctorate at Umeå University (Sweden) in 1998.  She was an internationally acclaimed plant biologist, renowned for her discoveries on the organization of the intricate membrane structures that carry out solar energy conversion in cells of green plants. Her work was the first to show that the photosynthetic mechanisms consists of two fundamental components; Photosystem I and Photosystem II. Her research career spanned over 55 years, mostly at the Division of Plant Industry CSIRO Canberra (1961-97), and later at the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University.

Jan was a passionate and creative female scientist who was well ahead of her time. She was an inspiration to young researchers, for whom her enthusiasm and curiosity were infectious. Professor Jan Anderson died on 28 August 2015 after a short illness. In recognition of her life and achievements in photosynthesis research as a pioneering female scientist, this award will acknowledge talented female plant science researchers. 


 
 
   Australian Society of Plant Scientists

Full description of the award

Read more 2024-03-22

Agrisera supported the 37th Molecular Biology of Plants meeting in Germany

The 37th Molecular Biology of Plants conference, organized by the Section Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology of the Germany Society for Plant Sciences, took place the 4th-7th of March, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The organizers were Prof. Dr. Christopher Grefen (Bochum), Prof. Dr. Ute Höcker (Cologne), and Prof. Dr. Andreas Meyer (Bonn).

Agrisera supported the meeting with The Best Poster Prize, awarded to Dr. Marc Somssich from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne. The winning poster title was "Spatially resolved immune responses of Arabidopsis thaliana to colonization by Fusarium oxysporum".


Participants could also enjoy hard copies of Agrisera's Educational Posters, covering topics such as photosynthesis and epigenetics, and developed with scientists in these fields.

 
 
  Winner of Agrisera Best Poster Prize 2024

Left to right: Prof. Ute Hoecker and Dr. Marc Somssich. Courtesy of Dr. José Ugalde from the University of Bonn. 

Read more 2024-03-17

Wide species range of blocking serum for ELISA and immunolocalization

For most immunoassays, like immunolocalization, ELISA or Western blot, blocking is a crucial step. This procedure blocks spaces that are not occupied by immobilized proteins, and thus prevents non-specific binding of the antibodies used in the assay. If blocking is not performed, false signals or high background will occur.

If normal serum is used as a blocker, it is recommended to use serum derived from the same host species as the detection antibody, conjugated with a reporter enzyme, like HRP (Horseradish peroxidase) and ALP (Alkaline phosphatase), or a fluorochrome, like DyLight®, FITC or others. 

Example: 
Primary antibody: Rabbit anti-target protein

Blocking serum: Normal Chicken Serum (usually used at 5% v/v in PBS with Tween®20 detergent)

Secondary antibody: Chicken anti-Rabbit IgG-HRP conjugated

Note: Rabbit serum cannot be used for blocking in such a combination.
 
  Agrisera blocking serum
Agrisera blocking serum from various species, is provided in three purity grades: non-purified, purified on Protein G and ultrapure, available as in research and bulk quantities.

Not certain which blocker to use? Ask Agrisera.

Read more 2024-03-15

Plant oxidative stress antibody set, 20 % off until end of March

Oxidative stress response in plants involves a complex network of proteins that work together to mitigate the damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals. Below is a list of the main proteins involved in this process:

  • Superoxide dismutase (SOD): Enzyme that catalyzes the dismutation of superoxide radicals into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. There are different isoforms of SOD found in various cellular compartments, such as cytosol, mitochondria and chloroplast.
  • Catalase (CAT): Enzyme that catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. It is primarily located in peroxisomes and helps neutralize excess hydrogen peroxide, generated during oxidative stress.
  • Ascorbate peroxidase (APX): Enzyme that uses ascorbate as a reducing agent to scavenge hydrogen peroxide and convert it into water, while oxidizing ascorbate to monodehydroascorbate. This enzyme is crucial for maintaining the redox balance in chloroplasts and other cellular compartments.
  • Glutathione peroxidase (GPX): Enzyme that utilizes glutathione (GSH) as a cofactor to reduce hydrogen peroxide and lipid hydroperoxides to their corresponding alcohols. It plays a significant role in protecting cells from oxidative damage by ROS.
  • Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs): Family of enzymes that catalyze the conjugation of glutathione to a wide range of electrophilic compounds, like lipid peroxides and xenobiotics. They are involved in both detoxification processes and in the regulation of cellular redox status.

   Plant Oxidative Stress antibody set

Choose 5 specific antibodies, combined according to your requirements from the following antibodies:

APX Cat Cu/ZnSOD | FeSOD | HRP Gamma-ECS | GR | GS | MnSOD | RBOHD

Offered at 20% discount until the end of March, with the promotion code Stress20.

The set also includeds a high-titer secondary Goat anti-Rabbit antibodies, HRP conjugated and Agrisera ECLBright detection reagent. 
Read more 2024-03-08

Online Western blot workshop for Australia and New Zealand with Agrisera distributor, Sapphire Bioscience

Western blot issues?

Get them resolved and learn many new tips on how to improve your results, in an online Western blot workshop, organized by Agrisera and Sapphire Bioscience, Agrisera's distributor in Australia and New Zealand.

Date: Wednesday, March 20th, 3-5 PM (AEDT). 
Request the link and send your questions here.

Each participant will receive: 
  • New knowledge
  • Possibility to win a useful prize
  • Link to the workshop recording
  • Pdf of the presentation with links
  • Certificate of participation
Read the feedback from participants of previous workshops here and join us on the 20th of March!
   Online Western blot workshop with Sapphire Biosciences
Read more 2024-03-06
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