What should I do if there isn't a ChIP-validated antibody for my target protein?

If a ChIP-validated antibody isn't available, one should consider using an antibody validated for immunoprecipitation (IP) initially. It is also important to include a positive control antibody and primers in the experiment. Antibodies validated for immunofluorescence (IF) or immunohistochemistry (IHC) (which are carried out under fixation) may also work well in ChIP assays. However, it’s important to note that success in one assay does not guarantee success in another. While an antibody may recognize the protein epitope after fixation, conditions specific to the ChIP assay, such as the presence of SDS in the buffer, may affect antibody-protein binding. Alternatively, if no ChIP-validated antibodies exist for the target protein, expressing the protein with an epitope tag and utilizing a ChIP-validated antibody against that epitope is an option. This method ensures the antibody’s reliability in ChIP assays.