A High Proportion of Hybridomas Raised to a Plant Extract Secrete Antibody to Arabinose or Galactose

Abstract

A high proportion of hybridomas, obtained from mice immunized with style extracts prepared from mature flowers of an ornamental tobacco, Nicotiana alata, secrete antibody to arabinogalactan protein (AGP). The specificity of the antibodies secreted by three cloned cell lines is primarily directed to ,8-D-galactopyranose and a-L-arabinofuranose; antibodies from two cell lines preferentially bind ,-D-galactopyranose residues and antibodies from the other cell line preferentially bind a-L-arabinofura-nose. As AGPs are components of most plant tissues and exudates, it is likely that attempts to raise monoclonal antibodies to other plant extracts will result in hybridomas producing antibodies to AGPs. We have raised monoclonal antibodies to style extracts pre-pared from mature flowers of an ornamental tobacco (Nicotiana alata). These experiments represent an approach to establishing the components of the female sexual tissues which may be involved in controlling fertilization in higher plants. The style is the female sexual organ through which pollen tubes carrying the