Production and characterization of a monoclonal antibody to bovine beta-crystallin.

A monoclonal antibody to a bovine lens 27K beta-crystallin polypeptide has been produced from a rat x mouse hybridoma. The antibody reacts with the 27K polypeptide of bovine, mouse, rat, and human lenses, but does not react to the 27K polypeptide of monkey lens nor does it react with any component in the Philly mouse lens which is missing the 27K polypeptide. The antibody does not recognize any of the other major bovine beta-crystallin polypeptides but does recognize a large number of native beta-crystallin proteins. The antigenic specificity and species cross-reactivity of this antibody provides an excellent opportunity to study many aspects of lens development and cataractogenesis.