A consensus platform for antibody characterization

A commonly used anti-SOX15 antibody fails to demonstrate specificity in mouse embryos

SOX15 is a broadly conserved transcription factor involved in many critical processes, including mammalian cell fate specification and pluripotency. We investigated the specificity of a commercially available, polyclonal anti-SOX15 antibody advertised as knockout-validated. We generated a new mouse line carrying a null allele of Sox15 , and then evaluated anti-SOX15 activity in Sox15 null mouse embryos. Nuclear signal was detected in both wild type and null embryos, even when potential maternally or paternally-contributed Sox15 was eliminated. We conclude that this SOX15-detecting reagent may not be suitable for all applications, and caution the growing community of users accordingly.

A guide to selecting high-performing antibodies for TAF15 (UniProt ID: Q92804) for use in western blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence

TAF15 (TATA-box binding protein-associated factor 15) is a member of the FET protein family, known for their roles in transcriptional regulation and RNA metabolism. Here we have characterized five TAF15 commercial antibodies for western blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls. These studies are part of a larger, collaborative initiative seeking to address antibody reproducibility issues by characterizing commercially available antibodies for human proteins and publishing the results openly as a resource for the scientific community. While use of antibodies and protocols vary between laboratories, we encourage readers to use this report as a guide to select the most appropriate antibodies for their specific needs.