Publication
Title
Endogenous biotin-binding proteins : an overlooked factor causing false positives in streptavidin-based protein detection
Author
Abstract
Biotinylation is widely used in DNA, RNA and protein probing assays as this molecule has generally no impact on the biological activity of its substrate. During the streptavidin-based detection of glycoproteins in Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG with biotinylated lectin probes, a strong positive band of approximately 125 kDa was observed, present in different cellular fractions. This potential glycoprotein reacted heavily with concanavalin A (ConA), a lectin that specifically binds glucose and mannose residues. Surprisingly, this protein of 125 kDa could not be purified using a ConA affinity column. Edman degradation of the protein, isolated via cation and anion exchange chromatography, lead to the identification of the band as pyruvate carboxylase, an enzyme of 125 kDa that binds biotin as a cofactor. Detection using only the streptavidin conjugate resulted in more false positive signals of proteins, also in extracellular fractions, indicating biotin-associated proteins. Indeed, biotin is a known cofactor of numerous carboxylases. The potential occurence of false positive bands with biotinylated protein probes should thus be considered when using streptavidin-based detection, e.g. by developing a blot using only the streptavidin conjugate. To circumvent these false positives, alternative approaches like detection based on digoxigenin labelling can also be used.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Microbial biotechnology
Microbial Biotechnology
Publication
2015
ISSN
1751-7915
DOI
10.1111/1751-7915.12150
Volume/pages
8 :1 (2015) , p. 164-168
ISI
000349032300028
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Beneficial Lactobacillus interactions at the nasopharyngeal epithelium.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 16.09.2014
Last edited 09.10.2023
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