Post-translational modifications are among the most powerful regulators of protein function. Lysine methylation stands out because of its role in epigenetics, chromatin regulation, and cellular signaling. Detecting these subtle modifications requires precise reagents, and one of the most versatile tools available is the pan-methyl lysine antibody. When conjugated with biotin, these antibodies gain additional sensitivity and flexibility for detection and enrichment assays.

A prime example is Lysine, Methylated, pan (Dimethylysine, Methyl lysine) (Biotin), available from Genprice (see product). This biotinylated antibody is designed to broadly recognize methylated lysine residues, including dimethyllysine, and serves as a crucial reagent for researchers studying chromatin biology, histone modification, and protein regulation.

Lysine is unique because its ε-amino group can be modified in several ways. Methylation occurs when one, two, or three methyl groups are added to this amino group. These subtle changes alter the chemical landscape of the lysine side chain, influencing hydrogen bonding and protein–protein interactions.

Enzymes called lysine methyltransferases transfer methyl groups using S-adenosylmethionine as the donor, while demethylases reverse this process. Together, they regulate the “methylation landscape” of the cell. Unlike phosphorylation, which is often rapidly reversible, methylation tends to be more stable, making it an ideal epigenetic marker.

On histones, lysine methylation plays dual roles. For instance, H3K4 methylation is associated with active transcription, while H3K9 or H3K27 methylation can mark repressed chromatin. On non-histone proteins, methylation can modulate stability, localization, or binding partners.

Unlike site-specific antibodies that only detect a particular histone residue (such as H3K4me3), a pan-methyl lysine antibody is designed to bind any methylated lysine. This makes it highly versatile for screening unknown methylated proteins or analyzing global methylation patterns.

The Genprice antibody, Lysine, Methylated, pan (Dimethylysine, Methyl lysine) (Biotin), is biotinylated. Biotin conjugation enables use with streptavidin-based systems, providing exceptional sensitivity. Because biotin binds streptavidin with one of the strongest known noncovalent interactions, this format allows amplification of signals in Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and proteomic workflows.

In Western blotting, the antibody can reveal global changes in protein methylation across experimental conditions. The typical workflow involves probing transferred proteins with the biotinylated antibody, followed by detection with streptavidin-HRP or streptavidin-AP. Because endogenous biotin may contribute to background, pre-blocking or using biotin-free blocking buffers is often recommended.

In immunoprecipitation experiments, the antibody can capture methylated proteins from complex lysates. The biotin tag allows these antibody–protein complexes to be isolated with streptavidin-coated beads, enabling enrichment of methylated proteins for subsequent SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, or mass spectrometry analysis.

Chromatin immunoprecipitation is another powerful application. Here, the antibody helps enrich methylated histones or chromatin fragments. The biotin-streptavidin system ensures efficient capture and recovery, though pan antibodies generally provide broader, less locus-specific enrichment than site-specific ones.

For proteomics, immunoenrichment with the antibody can precede LC-MS/MS workflows. Capturing methyl-lysine peptides before analysis enhances sensitivity and coverage, offering insights into global methylation changes.

Because lysine methylation is chemically subtle, antibodies sometimes cross-react with unmethylated lysine or even methylated arginine. Controls are essential: peptide competition assays, knock-out models, or comparisons with site-specific antibodies help confirm true binding.

The biotin-to-antibody ratio also plays a critical role. Over-biotinylation can block antigen binding, while under-biotinylation reduces detection sensitivity. Manufacturers typically optimize this, but researchers should be mindful of potential variability.

Endogenous biotin is another challenge, particularly in tissue samples. Pre-blocking with free avidin or using biotin-free buffers can reduce background noise. In all assays, including proper negative controls ensures more reliable interpretation of data.

Storage and handling also matter. To preserve activity, the antibody should be stored at recommended temperatures, typically in small aliquots to avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles.

The Lysine, Methylated, pan (Dimethylysine, Methyl lysine) (Biotin) antibody from Genprice comes in a convenient 5 × 0.1 mL format. This packaging minimizes freeze–thaw stress, helping to preserve activity. Because it is biotinylated, it integrates seamlessly with streptavidin-based detection platforms.

Researchers benefit from the broad specificity of this antibody, making it ideal for global screening or enrichment of methylated proteins. At the same time, users should be aware of its limitations: it cannot distinguish specific methylation sites, and careful experimental design is needed to ensure specificity.

The product is intended strictly for research use, not for diagnostic or therapeutic applications. Variants of the same antibody are also offered in different conjugated forms, such as FITC or HRP, to suit diverse experimental needs.

Explore the product here.

When using pan-methyl lysine antibodies, validation in each experimental context is critical. Dilution optimization, inclusion of proper controls, and documentation of antibody source and lot number help ensure reproducibility. For high-background systems, strategies like pre-clearing with streptavidin beads or blocking endogenous biotin improve results.

These antibodies are most effective as tools for discovery or enrichment. For detailed mapping of specific histone marks or chromatin states, they should be paired with site-specific antibodies and complementary techniques such as ChIP-seq or quantitative mass spectrometry.

Lysine methylation is a vital regulatory mark with profound roles in epigenetics and cellular biology. Studying it requires sensitive, versatile, and reliable tools. The Lysine, Methylated, pan (Dimethylysine, Methyl lysine) (Biotin) antibody from Genprice offers researchers a powerful reagent to probe these modifications, combining pan-specificity with the sensitivity of biotin-streptavidin chemistry.

By applying best practices, incorporating proper controls, and complementing with other methods, scientists can use this antibody to gain meaningful insights into protein regulation, chromatin states, and cellular function.