What Is CEP19? Biological Background

CEP19 (Centrosomal Protein 19) is a relatively small centrosomal protein that localizes specifically to the distal end of the mother centriole in mammalian cells. The mother centriole serves as the basal body during primary cilia formation, and CEP19 has been identified as an important component of the machinery that links the centriole to the process of ciliogenesis.

Primary cilia are microtubule-based sensory organelles found on the surface of most quiescent mammalian cells. They function as signaling hubs for pathways including Hedgehog signaling, PDGF signaling, and mechanosensation. Proper formation of primary cilia requires precise recruitment of specific proteins to the distal end of the mother centriole, a process in which CEP19 participates by interacting with other distal appendage and ciliary entry proteins.

Loss-of-function studies in model organisms and human genetic data have linked CEP19 to ciliopathies — a family of disorders caused by defective cilia structure or function, which can manifest as obesity, retinal dystrophy, kidney disease, and other pleiotropic phenotypes. Understanding CEP19 at the molecular level therefore has both fundamental cell biology relevance and translational significance.

Biochemical Properties of Recombinant Human CEP19 Protein

Recombinant Human CEP19 Protein is produced using established recombinant protein expression technologies, enabling researchers to obtain the protein in a defined, reproducible form suitable for in vitro assays. Recombinant production allows precise control over the protein sequence, tag configuration, and purity grade — all critical considerations when designing biochemical or structural experiments.

CEP19 is a relatively small protein, and its recombinant form is typically produced with an affinity tag (such as His-tag or GST-tag, depending on the specific preparation) to facilitate purification by affinity chromatography. Researchers should consult the product datasheet for the specific tag, molecular weight including the tag contribution, purity grade, and buffer formulation for the Aladdin Scientific catalog item rp374820.

Because CEP19 functions in a protein-complex context at the centriole distal end, the recombinant protein is suitable for interaction studies such as co-immunoprecipitation validation, pull-down assays, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based binding measurements with known interacting partners.

Research Applications

Ciliogenesis and Cilia Biology Research: CEP19 plays a gating role at the mother centriole for ciliary assembly. Recombinant CEP19 protein can be used to dissect the molecular interactions underpinning this process, including binding assays with distal appendage proteins such as CEP83, CEP89, SCLT1, and FBF1, or with RAB family GTPases implicated in ciliary vesicle docking.

Ciliopathy Disease Modeling: Given the association of CEP19 with ciliopathy phenotypes including obesity and metabolic syndrome in mouse models and potentially in humans, recombinant CEP19 protein provides a tool for studying the structural basis of disease-associated mutations. Pull-down or SPR experiments with mutant versus wild-type recombinant protein can clarify how specific amino acid changes affect protein–protein interactions.

Antibody Validation and Immunoassay Development: Purified recombinant CEP19 protein serves as a positive control antigen for validating anti-CEP19 antibodies in Western blot, ELISA, and immunofluorescence applications. It can also serve as a coating antigen for ELISA-based detection or as an immunogen for custom antibody generation.

Structural and Biophysical Studies: Recombinant protein preparations can be used as input material for biophysical characterization techniques including size-exclusion chromatography coupled with multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS), circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and potentially crystallography or cryo-EM studies aimed at elucidating the three-dimensional structure of CEP19 and its complexes.

Handling, Storage, and Quality Considerations

Storage: Recombinant proteins are generally sensitive to repeated freeze-thaw cycles, which can lead to aggregation and loss of biological activity. It is recommended to aliquot the protein into single-use volumes upon first thaw and store aliquots at –80 °C for long-term preservation. Researchers should refer to the specific storage conditions stated on the Aladdin Scientific product datasheet for rp374820, as buffer composition, recommended temperature, and shelf life may vary by lot.

Handling: Work on ice whenever possible to minimize thermal denaturation. Avoid vigorous vortexing; instead, gently mix by pipetting or brief centrifugation. If the protein is supplied lyophilized, reconstitute according to the datasheet instructions, typically using a physiological buffer such as PBS or HEPES-buffered saline supplemented with a carrier protein (e.g., BSA) or glycerol to enhance stability.

Quality Assurance: Each lot of Recombinant Human CEP19 Protein from Aladdin Scientific is subject to quality control testing. Typical QC parameters for recombinant proteins include SDS-PAGE purity assessment, identity confirmation by Western blot or mass spectrometry, and endotoxin testing for cell-based assay suitability. Lot-specific certificates of analysis (CoA) are available and should be reviewed before use.