Biotinylation compounds containing

Figure 16.1 The general design of an ICAT reagent consists of a biotinylation compound with a spacer arm containing stable isotope substitutions. The reactive group is used to label proteins or peptides at particular functional groups and the biotin affinity tag is used to isolate labeled molecules using immobilized (strept)avidin.

The NHS ester compounds are sensitive to hydrolysis in aqueous solution, and they likely will hydrolyze faster than more hydrophobic biotinylation compounds due to their hydrophilic-ity. If a stock solution is made at a higher concentration to facilitate the addition of a small amount to a reaction solution, the initial solution should be made in a water-miscible organic solvent that is dried with a molecular sieve. Suitable solvents include DMAC, DMSO, or DMF. If using DMF, use only highly pure solvent, as it may contain amines that can react with the NHS ester groups (Figure 18.13). 

Amine-reactive biotinylation reagents contain functional groups off biotin s valeric acid side chain that are able to form covalent bonds with primary amines in proteins and other molecules. Two basic types are commonly available NHS esters and car-boxylates. NHS esters spontaneously react with amines to form amide linkages (Chapter 2, Section 1.4). Carboxylate-containing biotin compounds can be coupled to amines via a carbodiimide-mediated reaction using EDC (Chapter 3, Section 1.1). 

The reagent is similar to another maleimide-containing biotinylation reagent, 3-(N-maleimi-dopropionyl) biocytin, a compound used to detect sulfhydryl-containing molecules on nitrocellulose blots after SDS-electrophoresis separation (Bayer et al., 1987). Biotin-BMCC should be useful in similar detection procedures. 

The Derivative, 5-(biotinamido)pentylamine, contains a 5-carbon cadaverine spacer group attached to the valeric acid side chain of biotin (Thermo Fisher). The compound can be used in a carbodi-imide reaction process to label carboxylate groups in proteins and other molecules, forming amide bond linkages (Chapter 3, Section 1). However, the main use of this biotinylation reagent is in the determination of factor XHIa or transglutaminase enzymes in plasma, cell, or tissue extracts. 

Figure 18.15 NHS-chromogenic-PEG3-biotin contains an amine-reactive NHS ester that can be used to label biomolecules through an amide linkage. The chromogenic bis-aryl hydrazone group within the spacer arm of the reagent allows the degree of biotinylation to be quantified by measuring its absorbance at 354 nm. The compound also contains a hydrophilic PEG spacer, which provides greater water solubility.

---