ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the information available on the structure and function of high-mobility group (HMG) proteins which was obtained by immunological techniques. The microcomplement fixation technique is sensitive to minor antigenic variations between related proteins. Insights into the nature of antigenic determinants of HMG proteins will help us to evaluate the reliability of experiments in which antibodies are used. The use of monoclonal antibodies circumvents the problem of antigen purification for antibody production. The chapter examines the cellular distribution of HMG in Chinese hamster lung cells (line V-79), Fisher rat liver cells (line TR-12), embryonic bovine trachea cells (EBTr-NB 1-4), and rat hepatoma (HTC cells). The histones that are the major class of chromosomal proteins are unique in that the mRNA for all histone classes is not polyadenylated, though the mRNA for most other cellular proteins is polyadenylated. Antibodies against a variety of proteins have been used to visualize the location of the proteins by immunofluorescence.
