MEK1 / 2 (phospho Ser218 / Ser222) Antibody

MEK 1 and MEK 2 are integral components of the MAP kinase cascade that regulates cell growth and differentiation and this pathway also plays a key role in synaptic plasticity in brain. Activation of MEK 1/2 occurs via phosphorylation of two serine residues (Ser218 and Ser222) . Activated MEK 1/2 then acts as a dual specificity kinase phosphorylating both a threonine and a tyrosine residue on ERK. This phosphorylation of ERK by MEK 1/2 is a critical step in the MAP kinase cascade.

MEK 1/2 (Ser218/222) polyclonal antibody was raised against a synthetic phosphopeptide corresponding to amino acids residues surrounding the phosphoSer218/222 of human MEK 1/2.

For long term storage –80˚ C is recommended, but shorter term storage at –20˚ C is also acceptable as aliquots may be taken without freeze/thawing due to the presence of 50% glycerol. Stable for one year.

The antibody immunolabels the ~45k MEK protein in a Western blot of serum-stimulated NIH 3T3 cells. The immunolabeling is blocked by the phosphopeptide used as antigen but not the corresponding non-phosphopeptide. Applications include Dot Blots (DB) and Western Blots (WB) . Suitability for Immunohistochemistry (IHC) has not yet been determined. Human, mouse, rat and Xenopus have 100% amino acid sequence identity with the antigen used to raise the antibody. When internally tested under ideal conditions the working dilutions were 1:1000 for DB and WB.

N.G. Ahn, N.G., Robbins, D.G., Haycock, J.W., Seger, R., Cobb, M.H. and Krebs, E.G., "Identification of an activator of the microtubule-associated protein 2 kinases ERK1 and ERK2 in PC12 cells stimulated with nerve growth factor or bradykinin, " J. Neurochem. 59 (1992) 147 - 156.

Crews, C.M., Alessandrini, A. and Erikson, R.L., "The primary structure of MEK, a protein kinase that phosphorylates the ERK gene product, " Science 258 (1992) 478 - 480.

Adams, J.P. and Sweatt, J.D., "Molecular psychology: Roles for the ERK MAP kinase cascade in memory, " Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 42 (2002) 135 - 163.