Biotinylation Reagents

Biotinylation describes the attachment of biotin to a protein or other macromolecule. The selective isolation of such biotin-containing molecules out of complex mixtures is based on the high affinity of avidin and streptavidin for biotin. Furthermore, biotin is a rather small molecule compared to other labels, minimizing its steric impact on the biotinylated carrier itself. Thus, this nonradioactive method represents a highly important and versatile tool for purification, immobilization, and labeling. Besides, due to its valeric acid side chain, biotin can easily be derivatized without affecting its (strept)avidin binding site.