Biotinylation

Biotinylation is the labeling of biotin to a molecule of interest such as a protein, antibody, peptide, or other biomolecule (Figure 1). Biotinylated proteins typically retain biological activity because the biotin group is relatively small. Biotin (Figure 2) is a naturally occurring vitamin that binds to avidin and streptavidin proteins with high affinity. The bond formation between biotin and avidin is rapid and, once formed, is unaffected by most extremes of pH, organic solvents, and other denaturing agents. Learn more about avidin-biotin interaction.

Biotin labeling reagents target specific functional groups or residues on biomolecules such as primary amines, sulfhydryls, carboxyls, or carbohydrates. Biotinylated proteins can be captured or detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot, immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunoprecipitation (IP), or flow cytometry applications. Learn more about biotinylation.

Choose the right biotin labeling reagent for your application using our Biotinylation Reagent Selection Tool, or select from our biotinylation reagent guide, our Biotin no-weigh packaging, or our Biotin premium grade reagents options below.

Figure 1. Biotinylated protein. If drawn to scale, the oval representing the protein would be many times larger than the structures and would likely contain several amino groups. Note that NHS is a leaving group (byproduct) in the reaction. The leaving group and any non-reacted biotin reagent are removed during the desalting step.
 

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Biotin no-weigh packaging formats offer quick and convenient ready-to-use solutions. This format eliminates the need to weigh out small amounts of dry compounds and eliminates the waste of unused material. Simply reconstitute and the reagent is ready to use at the desired concentration.

Biotin premium grade reagents are high-quality reagents formulated for applications where product integrity and risk minimalization are essential. These premium grade reagents are ideal for long-term research projects that require consistent performance. Biotin premium grade products provide quality assurance review, lot sample retention, change control notification, along with an extra level of analytical testing and chemical characterization.

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Desthiobiotin is a modified form of biotin that binds less tightly to avidin and streptavidin than biotin while still providing excellent specificity in affinity purification methods (Figure 3). Unlike biomolecules that are labeled with biotin, proteins and other targets that are labeled with desthiobiotin can be eluted without harsh, denaturing conditions. As a result, desthiobioinylation is an alternative to biotinylation for applications requiring gentle elution and recovery of the labeled target.

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