Anti-alpha-2-MACROGLOBULIN

Anti-alpha-2-MACROGLOBULIN is an IgG fraction antibody purified from monospecific antiserum by a multi-step process which includes delipidation, salt fractionation and ion exchange chromatography followed by extensive dialysis against the buffer stated above.  Assay by immunoelectrophoresis resulted in a single precipitin arc against anti-Goat Serum as well as purified and partially purified a2-Macroglobulin [Human Plasma].  Cross reactivity against a2-Macroglobulin from other sources is unknown. Protein function: Is able to inhibit all four classes of proteinases by a unique 'trapping' mechanism. This protein has a peptide stretch, called the 'bait region' which contains specific cleavage sites for different proteinases. When a proteinase cleaves the bait region, a conformational change is induced in the protein which traps the proteinase. The entrapped enzyme remains active against low molecular weight substrates (activity against high molecular weight substrates is greatly reduced). Following cleavage in the bait region a thioester bond is hydrolyzed and mediates the covalent binding of the protein to the proteinase. [The UniProt Consortium]