A high proportion of hybridomas raised to a plant extract secrete antibody to arabinose or galactose

A high proportion of hybridomas, obtained from mice immunized with style extracts prepared from mature flowers of an ornamental tobacco, Nicotiana alata, secrete antibody to arabinogalactan protein (AGP). The specificity of the antibodies secreted by three cloned cell lines is primarily directed to β-d-galactopyranose and α-l-arabinofuranose; antibodies from two cell lines preferentially bind β-d-galactopyranose residues and antibodies from the other cell line preferentially bind α-l-arabinofuranose. As AGPs are components of most plant tissues and exudates, it is likely that attempts to raise monoclonal antibodies to other plant extracts will result in hybridomas producing antibodies to AGPs.