Accelerating the Pace of Discovery

SCICONS Anti-dsRNA Antibodies in Action: In Vitro Transcription, Bat Stem Cells & More

Immunofluorescence microscopy image, Figure 1
Figure 1. Immunofluorescence microscopy using J2 antibody reveals dsRNA (labeled in red), a marker for the viral replication complex, in HuH-7 cells infected with Dengue virus. Cellular DNA is labelled with DAPI (blue). Figure taken from Anwar et al. (2011) PLoS One 6:e23246

Researchers are increasingly relying on anti-dsRNA antibodies as crucial tools in their studies due to the pivotal role of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in cellular processes and infectious disease biology. To support dsRNA-focused research in fields like virology, immunology, and biotechnology, the SCICONS™ line of anti-dsRNA antibodies, kits, and controls were developed and have been highly cited since their initial discovery in 1990.

Recent SCICONS Applications

In a 2022 Nature Biotechnology study, Dousis et al. used SCICONS K1 mouse monoclonal antibodies to identify dsRNA in ELISA applications. The researchers were able to engineer a T7 RNA polymerase variant that reduces the amount of immunostimulatory dsRNA produced during in vitro transcription. This reduces the need for complex purification processes in IVT, streamlining the synthesis of long RNA transcripts for research and commercial applications like vaccine development.

SCICONS was also used in this 2023 Cell study by Djosez et al. to investigate the ability for bat stem cells to accommodate viral sequences. The researchers used the SCICONS J2 antibody clone (10010200) in immunofluorescence assays to look for the presence of dsRNA, thought to be a sign of replicative genomes from both positive-strand dsRNA and DNA viruses. In the past 50 years, several viruses (like Ebola and SARS-CoV-2) have been linked back to bat species, and the use of SCICONS anti-dsRNA antibodies can help us understand the mechanisms that enable cross-species transmission.

Another example of SCICONS antibodies empowering viral research is in this 2023 study published in Nature. Moshiri et al. used the J2 antibody clone to stain dsRNA in colonic organoids for confocal imaging in order to explore the factors that lead to virus-infected cell extrusion. The researchers found that intact, extruded virus-infected cells are still capable of causing new infections in other hosts. SCICONS antibodies were a valuable tool in this study to identify and track viral dsRNA due to their high specificity and clean staining.

SCICONS antibodies have been used for SARS-CoV-2 research, including in this 2023 Cell publication authored by Baggen et al. This study used the J2 SCICONS antibody clone to stain fixed cells for immunofluorescence applications to identify dsRNA, a telltale sign of viral replication. Many viruses require the receptor ACE2 to enter host cells, but this study identified another receptor, TMEM106B. If you are interested in the study of SARS-CoV-2, read our article on how SCICONS anti-dsRNA antibodies helped the fight against COVID-19 .


Conclusion

The SCICONS™ anti-dsRNA antibody line has emerged as a crucial asset for researchers exploring diverse scientific realms, particularly within virology, immunology, and biotechnology. As evidenced by their widespread citation in recent publications, the SCICONS antibodies continue to contribute significantly to cutting-edge research, providing researchers with powerful tools to probe the intricate landscape of infectious diseases and cellular processes associated with double-stranded RNA. To learn more about how SCICONS can enable your research, explore our full line of SCICONS anti-dsRNA monoclonal antibodies and kits.