Section 5 Ordering Information ........................22
This product is covered by U.S. Patent 5,583,001 and
pending patent applications. Purchase of this product
includes a license for use in non-commercial research
applications only.
Section 1
Preparation
1.1 Introduction
Opti-4CN is an improved and more sensitive v ersion
of the colorimetric horseradish peroxidase (HRP) substrate, 4-chloro-1-naphthol (4CN). Opti-4CN may be used
simply as a replacement for 4CN resulting in a 4–8 fold
increase in detection sensitivity . When used in conjunction
with the signal amplification reagents in the Amplified
Opti-4CN substrate and detection kits, sensitivity may be
improved another 4–8 fold, resulting in an overall impro vement of 16–64 fold. The kits provide reagents for amplification and/or detection on 2,500 cm
1.2 Method Overview
The first step in western blotting is the transfer of antigen onto a solid support membrane by one of several methods. The transfer can be done electrophoretically, follo wing
separation of the antigen in a polyacrylamide or agarose
gel, passively by directly spotting the antigen onto a membrane, or by vacuum filtration using a microfiltration apparatus. Following antigen binding, the remaining protein
binding sites on the membrane surface are blocked to minimize non-specific interactions.
2
of membrane.
1
The membrane with bound antigen is then incubated
with a primary antibody specific to the antigen of interest.
The blot is washed to remove unbound antibody, incubated with a secondary antibody linked to HRP, and then
washed again to remove unbound secondary antibody. If
there is no amplification involved (i.e., catalog numbers
170-8235 through 170-8237), then the blot is incubated in
the Opti-4CN substrate for up to 30 minutes, or until the
desired sensitivity is attained. If the signal is to be amplified,
the blot is incubated in the Bio-Rad amplification reagent
(BAR), washed, incubated in streptavidin-HRP, and washed
again before being incubated in the Opti-4CN substrate.
1.3 Kit Components
170-8235Opti-4CN Substrate Kit
170-8236Opti-4CN Detection Kit, Goat-anti-Rabbit
170-8237Opti-4CN Detection Kit, Goat-anti-Mouse
170-8238Amplified Opti-4CN Substrate Kit
Opti-4CN substrate, 12.5 ml
Opti-4CN diluent concentrate, 10x, 62.5 ml
Opti-4CN substrate, 12.5 ml
Opti-4CN diluent concentrate, 10x, 62.5 ml
Goat-anti-Rabbit-HRP conjugated secondary
antibody, 0.5 ml
Opti-4CN substrate, 12.5 ml
Opti-4CN diluent concentrate, 10x, 62.5 ml
Goat-anti-Mouse-HRP conjugated secondary
antibody, 0.5 ml
Bio-Rad Amplification Reagent, 53 ml
Streptavidin-HRP, 0.5 ml
Blocker, 20 g
PBS, powder to make 1 liter of 10x PBS
2x Amplification diluent, 106 ml
Opti-4CN substrate, 12.5 ml
Opti-4CN diluent concentrate, 10x, 62.5 ml
All components of 170-8238
Goat-anti-Rabbit-HRP conjugated secondary
antibody, 0.5 ml
All components of 170-8238
Goat-anti-Mouse-HRP conjugated secondary
antibody, 0.5 ml
Primary antibody
Tween-20, 10 ml, suf ficient for 2,500 cm
Bovine serum albumin, 7.5 g, sufficient for
2
2,500 cm
Buffer
HRP-linked secondary antibody
Buffer
for 2,500 cm
HRP-linked secondary antibody
for 2,500 cm
2
2
2
1.4 Product Storage and Stability
The kit is shipped at 4 °C. Store the unopened kit
at 4°C. Powdered blocker , powdered PBS and PBS solutions may be stored at room temperature; all other components are stored at 4 °C. After being put into solution,
the blocker should be stored at 4 °C. All kit components are guaranteed for 1 year from the time of receipt.
23
Antibodies are provided in 10 mM sodium phosphate, 150 mM sodium chloride, pH 7.2, with 1% (w/v)
bovine serum albumin and 0.01% thimerosal (sodium
ethylmercurithiosalicylate) as a preservative. Avoid
freeze-thaw cycles of antibody conjugates which will
cause breakdown of product. For best results, aliquot
conjugates in appropriate amounts and store at -20 °C.
1.5 Safety Instructions
Please read the entire instruction manual before
beginning the protocol.
1. Wear gloves and protective clothing, such as labora-
tory coats and goggles when preparing and working
with the solutions in the protocol. DMSO is an irritant;
it is a colorless liquid which is easily absorbed through
the skin and mucous membranes. Av oid skin contact
with DMSO and inhalation of DMSO mist. Wash
exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water.
Note: See Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) on DMSO
for additional information.
2. Work in well-ventilated areas. Avoid inhalation of
vapors when working with solutions containing DMSO.
3. Do not mouth pipet any solution.
Section 2
Protocol
2.1 Experimental Strategy and General
Considerations
Temperature. All steps are performed at room
temperature (22–25 °C).
Making Solutions. Use only deionized, distilled water
to prepare solutions. 1x PBST solutions should be sterile filtered. Do not use azide as a preservative in an y solution.
Membrane Selection. This kit has been optimized
for detection on pure nitrocellulose membranes and performs equally well with supported nitrocellulose membranes. However, due to the way in which they are
manufactured, the surface of some supported nitrocellulose
membranes take on a ‘wavy’ appearance that can result in
less pleasing images than the pure nitrocellulose membranes which remain flat throughout the process. The kit
may also be used to detect proteins bound to PVDF.
Primary Antibody.Generally when serum or tissue
culture supernatants are the source of primary antibody, a
1:100–1:1,000 dilution of the primary antibody in buffer
is used for detection of antigens on the membrane surface. For chromatographically purified monospecific antibodies, a 1:500–1:10,000 dilution is used for antigen
detection. A 1:1,000–1:100,000 dilution is used when
4
5
ascites fluid is the source of antibody. Optimal dilution
factors must be determined experimentally. The optimal
antibody concentration is usually considered the greatest
dilution of antibody reagent still resulting in a strong positive signal without membrane background or non-specific reactions.
Secondary Antibody Conjugates. The protocols in
this manual were worked out using Bio-Rad Blotting Grade
secondary antibody conjugates diluted as described below .
Using an antibody conjugate at a higher concentration
may result in an overall increase in background without any
improvement in detection sensitivity. Secondary antibody
conjugates from other sources may be used, but the optimal dilution may be different from that of Bio-Rad antibody conjugates.
Washes and Incubations. Continuous gentle agitation should be used during all incubations and washes. For
best results, a rocking platform should be employed to
maintain a uniform exposure of the membrane surface to
the solution. Use the smallest possible container to hold
the membrane and solutions. When a range of washes is
specified, as in ‘Wash 2–4x’, best results are obtained by
doing the maximum number of washes. Acceptable results,
though potentially with more background, may be obtained
with the minimum number of washes. Blocking and washing steps should be done with 0.25 ml per cm
brane, e.g., for a mini-blot of 60 cm
2
, use 15 ml of solution
2
of mem-
for those steps. Antibody incubations should be at 0.1 ml
2
per cm
, e.g., 6 ml for a 60 cm2miniblot. Use dilute BAR
and streptavidin-HRP solutions at 85 µl per cm
brane, e.g., 5 ml for a 60 cm
4CN reagent is used at 0.25 ml per cm
2
mini-blot. The prepared Opti-
2
2
of mem-
of membrane.
Detergents. Tween-20 is essential in washing to elim-
inate overall background and non-specific hydrophobic
interactions. At 0.1%, T ween-20 will not disrupt binding
of primary antibodies to antigens or antigens to the membrane, but will optimize detection sensitivity by eliminating non-specific interactions. Alternative deter gents should
not be substituted.
2.2 Reagent Preparation
The following reagents should be made upon first
receiving the kit.
10x PBST (Phosphate buffered saline/1% T ween-20).
Pour the contents of the pouch into 950 ml ddH
stir until dissolved. Add 10 ml T ween-20. Bring f inal volume to 1 liter with ddH
O. Store at room temperature.
2
1x PBST (Phosphate buffered saline/0.1% T ween-20).
Combine 100 ml 10x PBST and 900 ml ddH
filter before use. Store at room temperature.
20% DMSO/PBST Wash.Combine 100 ml DMSO
and 400 ml 1x PBST. This is sufficient for 500 cm
membrane.
O and
2
O. Sterile
2
2
of
6
7
3% Blocker. While vigorously stirring 665 ml of
PBST, very slowly add 20 g powdered blocker. Add the
powder a little bit at a time over a period of 30–45 minutes.
Continue stirring another 30–60 minutes after all the powder has been added. Slowly warming the solution to 55 °C
will help put the blocker into solution, but do not overheat.
This can be accomplished by placing the flask with the
blocker solution inside a beaker on top of a magnetic stirrer/heater. Pour enough room-temperature water into the
beaker to surround the blocker solution as it stirs in the
flask. Be careful not to cause the flask with the blocker to
float or tip. Slowly heat the surounding water to 55–60 °C.
Do not add azide. Store at 4 °C. W arm to room temperature
before use.
Make these solutions on the day of the experiment.
Antibody dilution buffer (1% BSA in PBST).
Dissolve 0.75 g of BSA in 75 ml rapidly stirring PBST
(sufficient for 4 miniblots). Used for dilution of primary
and secondary antibodies and for dilution of streptavidinHRP.
Bio-Rad Amplification Reagent.Prepare 85 µl per cm
of membrane. Combine 2 parts 2x Amplification diluent,
1 part 4x BAR and 1 part ddH
Streptavidin-HRP. Prepare 85 µl per cm
O.
2
2
of mem-
brane. Dilute 1:1,000 with antibody dilution buffer.
2.3 Quick Guide
Blotting and Antibody Incubation
1. Transfer protein to nitrocellulose membrane by elec-
troblotting, dot blotting or microfiltration. Allow
membrane to air dry.
2. Wet membrane in PBST and then wash 2x for 5 minutes
each time in PBST.
3. Block membrane in 3% blocker for 1 hour.
4. Wash 2x with PBST for 3–5 minutes.
5. Incubate in appropriately diluted primary antibody
for one hour.
6. Wash 2x with PBST 5 minutes each time.
7. Incubate in 1:3,000–1:10,000 dilution of GAx-HRP
secondary antibody for 1 hour.
8. Wash 2x with PBST 5 minutes each time.
Amplification (170-8238/39/40). All other kits,
skip to Detection.
9. Incubate membrane in diluted BAR for 10 minutes.
2
10. W ash 2–4x in 20% DMSO/PBST for 5 minutes each
time.
11. Wash 1–2x in PBST for 5 minutes each time.
12. Incubate membrane in diluted streptavidin-HRP for
30 minutes.
13. Wash 2x in PBST for 5 minutes each time.
*
8
9
Colorimetric Detection
14. Mix one part Opti-4CN diluent concentrate with
nine parts ddH
O. Prepare 0.25 ml per cm2of
2
membrane.
15. Add 0.2 ml of Opti-4CN substrate per 10 mls of
diluent (e.g., combine 1 ml Opti-4CN diluent concentrate with 9 ml ddH
O and 0.2 ml Opti-4CN
2
substrate). Mix well and pour onto membrane.
16.Incubate membrane with gentle agitation in the
substrate for up to 30 minutes or until the desired
level of sensitivity is attained.
17.Wash the membrane in ddH2O for 15 minutes.
18.Document or store membrane.
* GAx-HRP is Bio-Rad’s Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG-HRP (Catalog
number 170-6515) or Goat Anti-Mouse IgG-HRP (170-6516)
or Goat Anti-Human IgG-HRP (172-1050).
2.4 Detailed Protocol
Note: Before beginning, read through the entire procedure.
1. Antigen application. Apply antigen to the membrane
surface using one of the three basic methods described
below. A small amount of known antigen or primary
antibody dotted on one corner of the membrane prior
to blocking will produce a positive reaction if the procedure is successful.
a. Electrophoretic blotting. The antigens of interest are
electrophoretically transferred to the membrane from
a gel (i.e. SDS-PAGE, IEF or native gel) using the
Trans-Blot
®
, Mini Trans-Blot®, Trans-Blot Semi-Dry
cell or similar device.
b. Microfiltration blotting. The antigens of interest are
transferred by a vacuum device such as the Bio-Dot
or Bio-Dot SF onto the membrane. The membrane
should be removed from the apparatus for the blocking and all subsequent steps.
c. Dot blotting. Cut the membrane sheet to the appro-
priate size. Draw a grid on the membrane with a pencil. Wet the dry membrane by slowly sliding the
membrane at a 45° angle into the PBST. (PVDF membranes must first be wet in 100% methanol; consult
membrane instructions for complete information).
Remove the thoroughly wetted membrane from the
PBST and dry it on filter paper for approximately
5 minutes. Apply antigen sample to each grid square
using a syringe or pipet.
Note: Regardless of the method chosen for antigen application, the membrane should be allowed to dry completely
before proceeding to the next step.
2. W ash. Wet the membrane in PBST and then wash the
membrane twice in PBST for 5 minutes each time.
These washes help to reduce spotted or blotchy background problems.
®
10
11
3. Blocking step. Immerse the membrane at a 45° angle
into the blocking solution. Gently agitate the solution
using a rocking platform and incubate for an hour or
more. Best results for amplification are attained with
a 3% solution of the blocker provided with the kits
(170-8238/39/40). For non-amplified applications,
5% blotto is an acceptable alternative.
4. W ash. Decant the blocking solution and add PBST to
the membrane. W ash for 5 minutes. Repeat the wash
with fresh PBST.
5. Primary antibody incubation. Decant the PBST and
prepare 0.1 ml of antibody solution per cm
2
of membrane. Dilute the primary antibody in PBST with
1% (w/v) BSA. Incubate 1 to 2 hours with gentle
agitation. The optimum conditions of dilution and
incubation must be determined experimentally.
6. W ash. Decant the antibody solution and add PBST to
the membrane. W ash for 5 minutes with gentle agitation and pour off the wash solution. Repeat the wash
with fresh PBST.
7. Secondary antibody incubation. Decant the PBST and
prepare 0.1 ml of the secondary antibody solution per
2
cm
of membrane. Dilute the secondary antibody
1:3,000–1:10,000 with PBST containing 1% (w/v)
BSA. Incubate for 30 minutes to 2 hours with gentle
agitation. As noted previously , this protocol was de v eloped using Bio-Rad’s blotting grade secondary antibodies (Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG-HRP [Catalog number
170-6515] or Goat Anti-Mouse IgG-HRP [170-6516]
or Goat Anti-Human IgG-HRP [172-1050]).
Secondary antibody HRP conjugates from other
sources may be used, but the optimal dilution will
have to be determined experimentally.
8. W ash. Decant the antibody solution and add PBST to
the membrane. W ash for 5 minutes with gentle agitation and pour off the wash solution. Repeat the wash
with fresh PBST.
Amplification (170-8238/39/40). All other kits,
skip to Detection.
9. Amplification. Prepare 85 µl of 1x BAR solution per
2
cm
of membrane. Prepare the solution by combining 2 parts 2x Amplification diluent, 1 part 4x BAR
and 1 part ddH
O. Pour PBST off the membrane and
2
add the 1x BAR solution. Incubate for 10 minutes
with gentle agitation.
10. W ash. Pour off the BAR solution and wash the membrane 2–4 times for 5 minutes each time with 20%
DMSO/PBST. F ollo w these washes with 1–2 washes
in PBST for 5 minutes each time.
11. Streptavidin-HRP. Prepare 85 µl of a 1:1,000 dilution
streptavidin-HRP per cm
2
of membrane. Dilute the
streptavidin-HRP in the same 1% BSA/PBST solution used to dilute the antibodies. Pour off the PBST
wash and add the diluted streptavidin-HRP solution.
Incubate for 30 minutes with gentle agitation.
12
13
12. Wash. Pour of f the streptavidin-HRP solution and add
PBST. Wash the membrane for 5 minutes with gentle
agitation. Repeat the wash step with fresh PBST.
Colorimetric Detection
13. Prepare 0.25 ml of Opti-4CN diluent solution per cm
of membrane by first mixing 1 part Opti-4CN diluent
concentrate with 9 parts ddH
O. For each 10 ml of
2
diluent, add 0.2 ml of Opti-4CN substrate and mix
well. The solution will become cloudy upon mixing.
14. Pour the PBST off the membrane and add the prepared substrate solution. Incubate for 5–30 minutes
or until the desired level of signal is attained.
15. Pour off the substrate and wash the membrane in
ddH
O for 15 minutes.
2
16. Dry the membrane and store or document.
Section 3
Alternative Protocol
(For kits 170-8238/39/40)
An alternative, and potentially more sensitiv e ampli-
fication, may be accomplished by substituting a biotinylated secondary antibody for the HRP-linked secondary
antibody. There is an additional incubation in strepta vidinHRP that precedes incubation in the BAR solution. The kit
has sufficient streptavidin-HRP to carry out detection o ver
2,500 cm
secondary antibody.
2
of membrane, even if you use a biotinylated
This approach entails two rounds of amplification, so
background can be a significant problem and it may not be
trivial to work out the best conditions. Background is
affected by the dilution of primary antibody, secondary
2
antibody, the BAR and the streptavidin-HRP. It may be
necessary to further dilute one or more of these four
reagents.
A brief protocol is outlined below.
Blotting and amplification.
1. Transfer protein to nitrocellulose membrane by elec-
trophoretic blotting, dot blotting or microfiltration.
Allow membrane to air dry.
2. W et membrane in PBST and then wash 2x for 5 min-
utes each time in PBST.
3. Block membrane in 3% blocker for 1 hour.
4. Wash 2x with PBST for 3–5 minutes.
5. Incubate in appropriately diluted primary antibody
for one hour.
6. Wash 2x with PBST for 5 minutes each time.
7. Incubate in 1:3,000–1:10,000 dilution of biotinylated goat
anti-rabbit IgG secondary antibody (catalog number
170-6401) for 1 hour.
8. Wash 2x with PBST for 5 minutes each time.
9. Incubate in 1:1,000 dilution of streptavidin-HRP for
30 minutes.
14
15
10. Wash 2x in PBST for 5 minutes each time.
11. Incubate membrane in diluted BAR for 10 minutes.
12. W ash 2–4x in 20% DMSO/PBST for 5 minutes each
time.
13. Wash 1–2x in PBST for 5 minutes each time.
14. Incubate membrane in diluted streptavidin-HRP for
30 minutes.
15. Wash 2x in PBST for 5 minutes each time.
Colorimetric Detection
16. Mix one part Opti-4CN diluent concentrate with nine
parts ddH
O. Prepare 0.25 ml per cm2of membrane.
2
17. Add 0.2 ml of Opti-4CN substrate per 10 mls of diluent. Mix well and pour onto membrane.
18. Incubate membrane with gentle agitation in the substrate for up to 30 minutes or until the desired level of
sensitivity is attained.
19. Wash the membrane in ddH
O for 15 minutes.
2
20. Document or store membrane.
Section 4
Troubleshooting Guide
ProblemCauseSolution
1. No reaction or a. Exposure time wasi. Increase the
weak signal.too short.exposure time.
ProbableRecommended
b. Primary antibodyi. Store the anti-
solution is inactivebody solution at
or non-saturating.the proper tem-
perature. Avoid
bacterial
contamination,
heat inactivation, and
repeated freezethaw cycles.
ii.Antibody titer
was too low.
Increase the
concentration
of the antibody
used in the
assay.
iii.Tween-20 may
affect the reactivity of some
antibodies.
Eliminate
Tween-20
from the assay
(except the
wash after the
blocking step).
16
17
Troubleshooting Guide
ProbableRecommended
ProblemCauseSolution
c. Conjugate is inactive. i. Store the conju-
(continued)
gate at the
proper temperature. Avoid
repeated
freeze-thaw
cycles.
ii.The concentra-
tion of the conjugate was
non-saturating.
Increase the
concentration
of the conjugate used in
the assay.
iii.Conjugate
may be contaminated,
causing inactivation of the
antibody or
enzyme. Tap
water may
cause inactivation; use only
distilled,
deionized
water to prepare all solutions.
Troubleshooting Guide
ProbableRecommended
ProblemCauseSolution
d. Little or no antigen i. Tween-20 may
is bound to the wash bound
membrane.antigen from
(continued)
the membrane.
Eliminate
Tween-20 from
the assay
(except the
wash after the
blocking step).
ii.Transfer of pro-
tein onto the
membrane was
incomplete.
Stain gel to
assure transfer
of protein. Use
Prestained
Standards to
monitor transfer efficiency.
Consult the
appropriate
instrument
manual for
proper procedures and recommendations.
18
19
Troubleshooting Guide
ProbableRecommended
ProblemCauseSolution
e. Primary antibody i. Loss of reac
is not specific or tivity may
does not recognizehave occurred
denatured antigensduring elec(common withtrophoretic
monoclonals).transfer. Pre-
2. High background. a. Exposure time wasi. Decrease
too long.exposure time.
b. PBST washes after i. The washes are
transfer were omit-critical to
ted or insufficient.reduce spotted
c. Blocking was insuf- i. Increase the
ficient.time of the
(continued)
test the reactivity of the antibody against
the antigen by
a dot blot.
or blotchy
background
development.
blocking step
and/or the concentration of
blocker used.
Troubleshooting Guide
ProbableRecommended
ProblemCauseSolution
d. Wash stringencyi. Tween-20 is
was insufficient.necessary in
e. Second antibodyi. Use the recom-
conjugate was usedmended dilu
at an excessive con-tion,or detercentration.mine the opti-
f. Contaminationi. Refer to the
occurred duringinstrument
transfer.instruction
g. Insufficient number i. Increase
of DMSO/PBSTnumber of
washes.wash steps
(continued)
wash steps to
reduce background. The
concentration
can be
increased up to
162-0145Sheets, 7 x 8.4 cm, 10
162-0117Sheets, 9 x 12 cm, 10
162-0114Sheets, 15 x 9.2 cm, 10
162-0116Sheets, 15 x 15, 10
162-0113Sheets, 20 x 20 cm, 5
162-0115Roll, 33 cm x 3 m, 1
Pure Nitrocellulose Membranes (0.2 micron)
162-0146Sheets, 7 x 8.4 cm, 10
162-0147Sheets, 13.5 x 16.5 cm, 10
162-0150Sheets, 20 x 20 cm, 5
162-0112Roll, 33 cm x 3 m, 1
Supported Nitrocellulose Membranes (0.45 micron)
162-0090Sheets, 7 x 8.4 cm, 10
162-0091Sheets, 10 x 15 cm, 10
162-0092Sheets, 15 x 15, 10
162-0093Sheets, 20 x 20 cm, 10
162-0094Roll, 33 cm x 3 m, 1
22
23
Catalog
NumberProduct Description
Supported Nitrocellulose Membranes (0.2 micron)
162-0095Sheets, 7 x 8.4 cm, 10
162-0096Sheets, 15 x 15 cm, 10
162-0097Roll, 33 cm x 3 m, 1
PVDF Membranes (0.2 micron)
162-0186Sheets, 7 x 8.4 cm, 10
162-0180Sheets, 10 x 15 cm, 10
162-0181Sheets, 15 x 15, 10
162-0182Sheets, 20 x 20 cm, 10
162-0185Sheets, 20 x 20 cm, 3
162-0184Roll, 24 cm x 3.3 m, 1
Miscellaneous
170-6531Tween-20, 100 ml
24
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