The polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1), a 57 kDa RNA binding protein also known as hnRNP1, has been implicated in multiple aspect of mRNA metabolism, including regulation of alternative splicing, internal ribosome entry site-driven translation, mRNA localization, and polyadenylation. Four of tandem RNA recognition motif domains give PTBP1 a strong binding activity to RNA. Posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression by PTBP1 has been reported on many genes, including CD154, insulin, VEGF and Human inducible nitric oxide synthase.
Posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression is a ribonucleoprotein-driven process, which involves RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and non-coding RNAs that affect splicing, nuclear export, subcellular localization, mRNA decay and translation. The RNP Immunoprecipitation-Chip (RIP-Chip), RIP-Seq and RIP-RTPCR allow the identification of multiple RNA targets of RBPs globally and within the context of a cell extract. Antibodies specific to the RNA binding protein of interest are used to co-immunoprecipitate the RNA binding protein and the associated subset of mRNAs. The mRNA content is interrogated using standard microarray or sequencing technology. RIP-Certified Antibody is validated for use in RNP Immunoprecipitation (RIP) in conjunction with the RIP-Assay Kit distributed from MBL. Its ability to immunoprecipitate mRNAs and RBPs complex was confirmed by quantitative and qualitative analysis on NanoDrop, Bioanalyzer and RT-PCR or microarray.