Efforts to sequence various genomes have provided a wealth of new biological data, but have exacerbated a growing deficit in tools to study protein function and interrelationships. This may be particularly true in neurobiology where many new pathways have been identified, but reagents, such as antibodies, still do not exist for well-known pathway members. For example, proteins involved in the regulation of GABA are known to be important in human neurological disorders, but few antibody reagents for their study exist. To address these needs and create a means for scientists to isolate antibodies of their own choosing, we intend to create a monoclonal antibody-producing, whole cell antigen hybridoma library and antibody microarrays representative of the library. This initial library will be derived from rat brain cells, and may allow discovery of new diagnostic or therapeutic targets; future libraries can target other species or tissue types. The microarrays produced from the library will be available to scientists worldwide for individual screening; subsequent secondary screening will produce cloned novel antibodies. Thus, two major needs are served with this proposal: a renewable, screenable, and shareable source of novel research reagent antibodies, and a means of broad-based production and discovery of tissue type-specific antibodies.
NOT AVAILABLE
