Biotinylated Soybean Agglutinin (SBA)

Composed of four subunits of approximately equal size, soybean agglutinin is a family of closely related isolectins. This glycoprotein has a molecular weight of about 120 kDa and an isoelectric point near pH 6.0. SBA preferentially binds to oligosaccharide structures with terminal α- or β-linked N-acetylgalactosamine, and to a lesser extent, galactose residues. Binding can be blocked by substitutions on penultimate sugars, such as fucose attached to the penultimate galactose in blood group B substance.

An important application for SBA is the separation of pluripotent stem cells from human bone marrow. Cells fractionated by SBA do not produce graft vs host disease and can be used in bone marrow transplantation across histocompatibility barriers.

Biotinylated Soybean agglutinin has an appropriate number of biotins bound to provide the optimum staining characteristics for this lectin. This conjugate is supplied essentially free of unconjugated biotins and is preserved with sodium azide.

This biotinylated lectin is an ideal intermediate for examining glycoconjugates using the Biotin-Avidin/Streptavidin System. First the biotinylated lectin is added, followed by the VECTASTAIN ABC Reagent, Avidin D conjugate, or streptavidin derivative.

Inhibiting/Eluting Sugar: 200 mM N-acetylgalactosamine