bc970087m_si_001.pdf (561.97 kB)
Biotin−Fluorophore Conjugates with Poly(ethylene glycol) Spacers Retain Intense Fluorescence after Binding to Avidin and Streptavidin
journal contribution
posted on 1997-07-29, 00:00 authored by Hermann J. Gruber, Markus Marek, Hansgeorg Schindler, Karl KaiserConventional biotin−fluorophore conjugates with ∼14 atom spacers
lose most of their fluorescence
when binding to avidin or streptavidin, as is demonstrated in the
present study. This explains the
unusual fact that only biotinylated marker enzymes, but not fluorescent
biotins, are regularly used
in bioanalytic assays. Novel biotin−spacer−fluorophore
conjugates are presented that retain intense
fluorescence when binding to avidin or streptavidin. Preservation
of fluorescence depends upon the
use of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) spacers, which are shown not to
interfere with biotin function.
The observed absence of nonspecific interactions may also be
attributed to the PEG chain. These
novel fluorescent biotins are expected to be excellent new tools in
fluorescence microscopy and related
techniques.