Synthetic Peptide Antibodies

[Rick Neubig]

shark at sam.neosoft.com (John D. Valentich) wrote:
>
> We have recently started preparing polyclonal antibodies in rabbits against synthetic peptides
> from annexins and phospholipase A2 activating protein (PLAP).   Peptides were 
> conjugated to the carrier BSA.  We are wondering about the problem of 
> antibodies generated against BSA reacting with serum albumin or albumin-like 
> epitopes in other cellular proteins.  Questions:
> 
> 1.  Is it likely (or inevitable) that our antisera will contain high titer 
> antibodies against BSA? Could they be expected to cross react with other 
> non-albumin cellular proteins?

They will almost certainly react with albumin. 

> 
> 2.  If so, is the best (or only?) solution to this problem affinity purification of annexin or PLAP 
> antibodies from the antisera?

Affinity purification should work. You could also adsorb the antisera
with BSA and hope to remove many of the cross-reacting antibodies.
It's probably too late now but you can use keyhole limpet hemocyanin 
(KLH) as a carrier.

> 
> 3.  What are other possible solutions?