Molecular Probes™ Click-IT™ Biotin DIBO Alkyne, for copper free click chemistry

The biotin DIBO alkyne is reactive with cells or proteins containing any number of azide modified molecules via a copper-free click reaction.

Please consider this copper free variation to our copper requiring alkynes if you are staining the surface of live cells or have concerns about native protein function loss with copper in cell extracts. Copper can damage fluorescent proteins, Quantum Dot nanocyrstals, certain enzymes and photoproteins like RPE. Once incorporated the biotin moiety can be detected with streptavidin or more commonly used for isolation with for example Dynal™ Streptavidin magnetic beads.

Click chemistry describes a class of chemical reactions that use bio-orthogonal or biologically unique moities to label and detect a molecule of interest using a two-step procedure. The two-step reaction procedure involves triazole formation of an azide and an alkyne. Click reactions have several characteristics: the reaction between the detection moieties is efficient; no extreme temperatures or solvents are required; the reaction product is stable; the components of the reaction are bioinert; and perhaps most importantly, no side reactions occur. With the elimination of copper, no detectable damage to cells or proteins. Unlike traditional chemical reactions utilizing succinimidyl esters or maleimides that target amines and sulfhydryls – functional groups that are not unique – click chemistry-labeled molecules can be applied to complex biological samples and be detected with unprecedented sensitivity due to extremely low background.