Transcription of mitochondrial DNA in the yeast S. cerevisiae depends on recognition of a consensus nonanucleotide promoter sequence by mitochondrial RNA polymerase specificity factor, which is a 43 kDa polypeptide encoded by the nuclear MTF1 gene. Mtf1p has only limited amino acid sequence homology to bacterial sigma factors, but functions in many ways like sigma in that it is required for promoter recognition and initiation of transcription. To analyze the corebinding region of Mtf1p, monoclonal antibodies to this protein were prepared. Recombinant Mtf1p overproduced in E. coli was purified to near homogeneity and used to raise monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). From fused cells screened for Mtf1p mAbs by immunodot blot analysis, 19 positive clones were initially isolated. Further analysis of positive clones by Western blotting resulted in 4 mAbs of Mtf1p.