Western analysis of Trf protein in wild-type and mutant animals.

Sera from Trf^hpx/hpx mice, last treated with human Trf 6 to 8 months earlier, were analyzed for the presence of immunoreactive Trf by Western blotting using an antimouse Trf antibody. Two exposures of the same blot are shown here, with 50 ng of mouse Trf (mTrf) and 1 μg of human Trf (hTrf) as control lanes on the right. Trf was abundant in serum from wild-type and heterozygous mice, as seen in the first 4 lanes. In contrast, little Trf was detected in serum from Trf^hpx/hpxmice. A band that migrated similarly to Trf was visible after a prolonged exposure, as shown by the arrows at the bottom. There was far less of this species present inTrf^hpx/hpx mice than Trf in wild-type mice.