The conformation-dependent specificity of those polyclonal antibodies was first confirmed using recombinant wild-type and ALS-mutant (A4V, G37R, and G85R) SOD1 proteins, which differed in the presence/absence of copper and zinc ions, a thiol-disulfide status, and oligomerized/aggregated states. The gene discussed is SOD1; the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.