Cloning of an antibody binding DNA sequence: pitfalls of DNA/protein immunoprecipitation reactions

Abstract This paper presents evidence of cross-reactivity of a normal genomic DNA sequence to a number of antibodies raised against common proteins. This DNA fragment was inadvertently isolated during DNA-protein immunoprecipitation cloning experiments and was found to bind not only to the antibody used in the immunoprecipitation experiment, but to several different antibodies in gel-shift assays. This data demonstrates the ability of certain DNA sequences to bind non-specifically to antibodies and highlights the danger of DNA/antibody binding which can produce artifacts. Possible means of overcoming these reactions are discussed.