Amino-11-ddUTP

Amino-11-ddUTP is a modified deoxyuridine triphosphate bearing a primary amino functional group introduced via an 11-carbon linker, designed for incorporation of an amino handle into nucleic acids during enzymatic synthesis. This reagent is commonly used to generate amine-functionalized DNA or RNA for downstream conjugation to fluorescent dyes, affinity tags, nanoparticles, or solid supports. The amino functionality enables post-synthetic bioconjugation workflows that rely on amine-reactive chemistries while preserving the nucleotide's compatibility with polymerase-based labeling strategies.

1. DNA and RNA Labeling

Amino-11-ddUTP is used by molecular biology and chemical biology groups to introduce amine-bearing sites into nucleic acids through polymerase incorporation during nick translation, random priming, or PCR-based labeling workflows. Researchers use the resulting amine-functionalized DNA/RNA as a versatile intermediate for constructing fluorescent nucleic acid probes, immobilized hybridization targets, or labeled standards for nucleic acid analysis. The long aliphatic linker helps provide spatial separation between the nucleic acid backbone and the reactive amino group, which can improve labeling practicality when subsequent coupling steps are performed.

2. Fluorescent Nucleic Acid Conjugates

Amino-11-ddUTP supports the preparation of fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide probes by providing an amino handle for coupling to amine-reactive fluorophores or dye-tagged linkers. In fluorescence imaging and fluorescence-based assays, the amine-functionalized nucleic acids can be conjugated to dyes to generate hybridization probes, tracking reagents, or labeled targets for nucleic acid detection formats. This approach is often selected when a direct dye-nucleotide is not available for the desired spectral channel or when the labeling density and dye loading are controlled through post-conjugation chemistry.

3. Solid-Phase Immobilization Probes

Amino-11-ddUTP is frequently employed to create nucleic acid probes that can be immobilized onto surfaces such as beads, membranes, or microarray substrates using amine-reactive attachment chemistries. In genomics and nucleic acid workflow development, researchers use the amine-functionalized DNA/RNA to fabricate capture probes for hybridization assays, to prepare working standards for assay validation, or to build reusable material platforms for nucleic acid binding studies. The reagent's triphosphate form enables incorporation into the nucleic acid during synthesis, producing an immobilization-ready conjugate without requiring pre-functionalized nucleotide sources at every step.

4. Bioconjugation Handle For Tags

Amino-11-ddUTP provides a convenient chemical handle for downstream bioconjugation beyond fluorescence, including attachment of affinity tags, biotin-like capture moieties, or nanoparticle linkers via amine-reactive coupling strategies. Chemical biology teams use the resulting amino-functionalized nucleic acids to build multicomponent reagents such as pull-down probes, labeled hybridization targets, or conjugates for microscopy and flow-based readouts where a secondary tag is required. This workflow is especially useful when the nucleic acid needs to be integrated into a larger assay architecture that benefits from an orthogonal attachment point.