Monoclonal antibody specific for yeast elongation factor 3

Abstract

Hybridomas were prepared by fusing mouse myeloma (P3 .times. 63 Ag8) cells of mice immunized with a yeast fraction enriched with respect to nonribosomal translational components. Cloned hybridoma lines were grown in the form of ascites tumors, and the monoclonal antibodies produced were purified from the ascites fluid by chromatography on DEAE-Affi-Gel Blue. One of the antibodies, from a hybridoma cell line designated as PSH-1, inhibited the translation of natural mRNA and poly(U) and polysomal chain elongation in a cell-free protein-synthesizing system from yeast. Resolution and partial purification of the elongation factors [EF] indicated that the monoclonal antibody from PSH-1 did not interact with EF-1 or EF-2 but reacted with and inactivated EF-3, the 125,000 MW additional elongation factor specifically required with yeast ribosomes. The EF-3 purified from the cytosol by immunoaffinity chromatography was comparable to that prepared by ion-exchange chromatography. Evidently, EF-3 was essential for the translation of natural mRNA as well as poly(U), was associated with polysomes but not ribosomal subunits, and was required for every cycle in the elongation phase of protein synthesis.