An epitope tag is a short recognizable sequence fused to a protein so that an antibody can detect or isolate it. The FLAG tag is one example. A shared tag permits the same detection reagent to follow different engineered products. The fusion can affect folding, localization or activity, so detection of the tag does not alone establish that the tagged protein retains normal function. [ref]
Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th edition by Bruce Alberts and others. Chapter 8, Antibodies as Tools for Studying Proteins
The FLAG tag is an engineered epitope tag with the eight-residue sequence DYKDDDDK. Tag-specific antibodies permit detection or affinity capture of a fused protein. Its short length makes it convenient but does not guarantee neutrality: placement near a targeting sequence or functional interface can change behaviour. Comparing the tagged construct with an appropriate untagged or independently validated version tests whether it preserves the relevant function. [ref]
A Short Polypeptide Marker Sequence Useful for Recombinant Protein Identification and Purification by T. P. Hopp and others. Hopp and others, 1988, A Short Polypeptide Marker Sequence Useful for Recombinant Protein Identification and Purification
Articles by others on the same topic
There are currently no matching articles.