Anti-PIWI-L2 Antibody

PIWI-L2 is a member of the PIWI subfamily of Argonaute proteins, evolutionarily conserved proteins containing both PAZ and Piwi motifs that are crucial for the biogenesis and function of small non-coding RNAs and play important roles in stem cell self-renewal, RNA silencing, and translational regulation in diverse organisms. PIWI-L2 has been implicated in multiple roles including stem cell self-renewal and is highly expressed in many breast cancers. In these tumors, PIWI-L2 silences the expression of STAT3, a regulator of Bcl-XL and cyclin D1, allowing the proliferation and survival of breast cancer stem cells. Recent studies have shown that overexpression of PIWI-like proteins are potential biomarkers for colon and other cancers.

At least three isoforms of PIWI-L2 are known to exist; this antibody will only detect the two longest isoforms. PIWI-L2 antibody is predicted to not cross-react with other PIWI protein family members.

PIWI-L2 antibody was raised against a 17 amino acid synthetic peptide near the center of human PIWI-L2. The immunogen is located within amino acids 410 - 460 of PIWI-L2.

Endoribonuclease that plays a central role during spermatogenesis by repressing transposable elements and preventing their mobilization, which is essential for the germline integrity (By similarity) . Plays an essential role in meiotic differentiation of spermatocytes, germ cell differentiation and in self-renewal of spermatogonial stem cells (By similarity) . Acts via the piRNA metabolic process, which mediates the repression of transposable elements during meiosis by forming complexes composed of piRNAs and Piwi proteins and govern the methylation and subsequent repression of transposons (By similarity) . During piRNA biosynthesis, plays a key role in the piRNA amplification loop, also named ping-pong amplification cycle, by acting as a 'slicer- competent' piRNA endoribonuclease that cleaves primary piRNAs, which are then loaded onto 'slicer-incompetent' PIWIL4 (By similarity) . PIWIL2 slicing produces a pre-miRNA intermediate, which is then processed in mature piRNAs, and as well as a 16 nucleotide by-product that is degraded (By similarity) . Required for PIWIL4/MIWI2 nuclear localization and association with secondary piRNAs antisense (By similarity) . Besides their function in transposable elements repression, piRNAs are probably involved in other processes during meiosis such as translation regulation (By similarity) . Indirectly modulates expression of genes such as PDGFRB, SLC2A1, ITGA6, GJA7, THY1, CD9 and STRA8 (By similarity) . When overexpressed, acts as an oncogene by inhibition of apoptosis and promotion of proliferation in tumors (PubMed:16377660) .

PIWI-L2 antibody can be stored at 4°C for three months and -20°C, stable for up to one year. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Antibodies should not be exposed to prolonged high temperatures.