Magnetic Beads for Protein Conjugation & Bioseparation
LifeTein provides nano-scale superparamagnetic beads designed for efficient bioseparation, protein purification, and biomolecule conjugation. Our beads are functionalized with a range of reactive chemistries and affinity ligands, enabling flexible workflows from small-scale analytical experiments to large-scale preparations.
Applications
Protein Purification
Rapid isolation of tagged or native proteins using affinity ligands.
Pull-Down Assays
Study protein–protein interactions and complex formation.
Biomolecule Conjugation
Covalent coupling of peptides, proteins, antibodies, and nucleic acids.
Immunoprecipitation
Efficient antibody-based capture and enrichment workflows.
Choose the Right Conjugation Chemistry
Selecting the appropriate bead chemistry depends on your ligand, desired bond stability, and downstream workflow. The comparison below helps guide your selection.
| Feature | Iodoacetyl (Thiol, Non-cleavable) | Pyridyldisulfide (Thiol, Cleavable) | NHS (Amine-reactive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target | Cysteine (-SH) | Cysteine (-SH) | Amine (-NH₂) |
| Bond Type | Stable thioether | Disulfide (reversible) | Amide (stable) |
| Cleavable | No | Yes (DTT/BME) | No |
| Best Use | Permanent immobilization | Reversible binding / recovery | General protein/peptide coupling |
How to Select the Right Beads
- Use Iodoacetyl beads when you need permanent immobilization of cysteine-containing ligands.
- Use Pyridyldisulfide beads when you want reversible binding and recovery of your target.
- Use NHS beads for fast, general-purpose conjugation via primary amines.
- Use affinity beads (Protein A, Ni-NTA, Streptavidin) when working with tagged proteins or antibodies.
Technology Overview
LifeTein magnetic beads are nano-sized superparamagnetic particles with high-density functional groups, enabling efficient conjugation under mild physiological conditions. The beads provide high binding capacity and rapid separation using standard magnetic racks.
- High ligand density (15–20 µg/mg)
- Room temperature conjugation
- No centrifugation required
- Scalable from microliter to liter workflows
Featured Magnetic Beads
| Cat. No | Product | Application | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| LT16323 | Thiol-Activated Beads | Pull-down, purification | $320 |
| LTM007 | Iodoacetyl Beads | Stable conjugation | $350 |
| LT13512 | NHS Beads | Amine coupling | $320 |
| LTM003 | Streptavidin Beads | Biotin binding | $320 |
| LTM004 | Protein A Beads | Antibody purification | $320 |
| LTM005 | Ni-NTA Beads | His-tag purification | $320 |
| LTM006 | Glutathione Beads | GST-tag purification | $320 |
Workflow 1: Pull-Down Assays
Pull-down assays are commonly used to study protein-protein interactions, peptide-protein binding, target capture, and enrichment of complexes from biological samples.
Typical Workflow
Ligand peptide or protein → covalent conjugation to magnetic beads → incubation with sample → washing → elution or detection of bound target
| Workflow Component | LifeTein Reagent Types |
| Ligand / bait | Custom peptides, biotinylated peptides, tagged proteins, modified ligands |
| Solid support | Thiol-activated magnetic beads, Iodoacetyl beads, NHS beads |
| Target protein | Recombinant proteins, tagged proteins, cell lysate-interacting proteins |
| Detection | Epitope tag antibodies, anti-target antibodies, control proteins |
Workflow 2: Immunoprecipitation (IP)
Immunoprecipitation workflows require reliable capture of antibodies, stable magnetic separation, and suitable downstream detection systems.
Typical Workflow
Antibody → Protein A magnetic beads → sample incubation → wash → elution → Western blot or other downstream analysis
| Workflow Component | LifeTein Reagent Types |
| Capture support | Protein A magnetic beads |
| Primary antibody | Tag antibodies, target-specific monoclonal antibodies, rabbit antibodies |
| Controls | Isotype controls, loading control antibodies, control proteins |
| Detection reagents | Anti-tag antibodies, anti-target antibodies, MultiTag control proteins |
Workflow 3: ELISA and Binding Assays
ELISA and related binding assays may use proteins, peptides, peptide libraries, VLP antigens, or antibodies depending on the application. These workflows often require well-defined antigens and compatible detection reagents.
Typical Workflow
Coated peptide or protein antigen → sample or antibody incubation → wash → labeled secondary detection → signal readout
| Workflow Component | LifeTein Reagent Types |
| Antigen / coating reagent | Peptides, recombinant proteins, viral antigens, VLP-displayed antigens |
| Detection system | Monoclonal antibodies, tag antibodies, labeled proteins or peptides |
| Controls | Control proteins, epitope tag peptides, isotype controls |
| Custom development | Peptide libraries, antigen fragments, biotinylated or fluorescent reagents |
Workflow 4: Tagged Protein Purification and Validation
Tag-based workflows are commonly used to purify recombinant proteins and validate expression in research systems.
Typical Workflow
Tagged protein expression → affinity capture → wash / elution → detection with anti-tag antibody
| Workflow Component | LifeTein Reagent Types |
| Affinity purification | Ni-NTA magnetic beads, Glutathione magnetic beads, Streptavidin magnetic beads |
| Detection antibodies | Anti-His, Anti-FLAG, Anti-HA, Anti-cMyc, Anti-GST, Anti-V5 |
| Control materials | Tag peptides, MultiTag control protein, tag-containing standards |
Featured Workflow Reagents
| Category | Example Reagents |
| Magnetic Beads | Thiol-Activated Beads, Iodoacetyl Beads, NHS Beads, Protein A Beads, Ni-NTA Beads |
| Antibodies | Anti-FLAG, Anti-His, Anti-HA, Anti-cMyc, Anti-GST |
| Control Proteins / Tags | MultiTag Control Protein, FLAG Peptide, His Tag Peptide, V5 Epitope Tag |
| Proteins / Antigens | Recombinant proteins, cytokines, VLP antigens, MHC complexes, checkpoint proteins, custom antigens |
| Peptides | Custom peptides, modified peptides, peptide libraries, biotinylated or fluorescent peptides |
Need Help Choosing the Right Beads?
Contact us for guidance on conjugation strategy, bead selection, or custom applications.
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