Protein tag
Encyclopedia
Protein tags are peptide sequences genetically grafted onto a recombinant protein. Often these tags are removable by chemical agents or by enzymatic means, such as proteolysis or intein splicing. Tags are attached to proteins for various purposes.
Affinity tags are appended to proteins so that they can be purified from their crude biological source using an affinity technique. These include chitin binding protein (CBP), maltose binding protein
(MBP), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). The poly(His
) tag is a widely-used protein tag; it binds to metal matrices.
Solubilization tags are used, especially for recombinant proteins expressed in chaperone-deficient species such as E. coli, to assist in the proper folding in proteins and keep them from precipitating. These include thioredoxin
(TRX) and poly(NANP). Some affinity tags have a dual role as a solubilization agent, such as MBP, and GST.
Chromatography tags are used to alter chromatographic properties of the protein to afford different resolution across a particular separation technique. Often, these consist of polyanionic amino acids, such as FLAG-tag
.
Epitope
tags are short peptide sequences which are chosen because high-affinity antibodies can be reliably produced in many different species. These are usually derived from viral genes, which explain their high immunoreactivity. Epitope tags include V5-tag, c-myc-tag
, and HA-tag. These tags are particularly useful for western blotting, immunofluorescence
and immunoprecipitation
experiments, although they also find use in antibody purification.
Fluorescence tags are used to give visual readout on a protein. GFP and its variants are the most commonly used fluorescence tags. More advanced applications of GFP include using it as a folding reporter (fluorescent if folded, colorless if not).
Protein tags find many other usages, such as specific enzymatic modification (such as biotin ligase tags) and chemical modification (FlAsH) tag. Often tags are combined to produce multifunctional modifications of the protein. However, with the addition of each tag comes the risk that the native function of the protein may be abolished or compromised by interactions with the tag.
Affinity tags are appended to proteins so that they can be purified from their crude biological source using an affinity technique. These include chitin binding protein (CBP), maltose binding protein
Maltose binding protein
Maltose-Binding Protein is a part of the maltose/maltodextrin system of Escherichia coli, which is responsible for the uptake and efficient catabolism of maltodextrins. It is a complex regulatory and transport system involving many proteins and protein complexes...
(MBP), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). The poly(His
Histidine
Histidine Histidine, an essential amino acid, has a positively charged imidazole functional group. It is one of the 22 proteinogenic amino acids. Its codons are CAU and CAC. Histidine was first isolated by German physician Albrecht Kossel in 1896. Histidine is an essential amino acid in humans...
) tag is a widely-used protein tag; it binds to metal matrices.
Solubilization tags are used, especially for recombinant proteins expressed in chaperone-deficient species such as E. coli, to assist in the proper folding in proteins and keep them from precipitating. These include thioredoxin
Thioredoxin
Thioredoxin is a class of small redox proteins known to be present in all organisms. It plays a role in many important biological processes. In humans, it is encoded by the TXN gene. Loss-of-function mutation of either of the two human thioredoxin genes is lethal at the four-cell stage of the...
(TRX) and poly(NANP). Some affinity tags have a dual role as a solubilization agent, such as MBP, and GST.
Chromatography tags are used to alter chromatographic properties of the protein to afford different resolution across a particular separation technique. Often, these consist of polyanionic amino acids, such as FLAG-tag
FLAG-tag
FLAG-tag, or FLAG octapeptide, is a polypeptide protein tag that can be added to a protein using recombinant DNA technology. It can be used for affinity chromatography, then used to separate recombinant, overexpressed protein from wild-type protein expressed by the host organism...
.
Epitope
Epitope
An epitope, also known as antigenic determinant, is the part of an antigen that is recognized by the immune system, specifically by antibodies, B cells, or T cells. The part of an antibody that recognizes the epitope is called a paratope...
tags are short peptide sequences which are chosen because high-affinity antibodies can be reliably produced in many different species. These are usually derived from viral genes, which explain their high immunoreactivity. Epitope tags include V5-tag, c-myc-tag
Myc
Myc is a regulator gene that codes for a transcription factor. In the human genome, Myc is located on chromosome 8 and is believed to regulate expression of 15% of all genes through binding on Enhancer Box sequences and recruiting histone acetyltransferases...
, and HA-tag. These tags are particularly useful for western blotting, immunofluorescence
Immunofluorescence
Immunofluorescence is a technique used for light microscopy with a fluorescence microscope and is used primarily on biological samples. This technique uses the specificity of antibodies to their antigen to target fluorescent dyes to specific biomolecule targets within a cell, and therefore allows...
and immunoprecipitation
Immunoprecipitation
Immunoprecipitation is the technique of precipitating a protein antigen out of solution using an antibody that specifically binds to that particular protein. This process can be used to isolate and concentrate a particular protein from a sample containing many thousands of different proteins...
experiments, although they also find use in antibody purification.
Fluorescence tags are used to give visual readout on a protein. GFP and its variants are the most commonly used fluorescence tags. More advanced applications of GFP include using it as a folding reporter (fluorescent if folded, colorless if not).
Protein tags find many other usages, such as specific enzymatic modification (such as biotin ligase tags) and chemical modification (FlAsH) tag. Often tags are combined to produce multifunctional modifications of the protein. However, with the addition of each tag comes the risk that the native function of the protein may be abolished or compromised by interactions with the tag.
List of protein tags
- IsopeptagIsopeptagIsopeptag is a 16 amino acid peptide tag that can be genetically linked to proteins without interfering with protein folding. What makes the isopeptag different from other peptide tags is that it can bind its binding protein through a permanent and irreversible covalent bond...
- a covalently binding and genetically encoded tag - BCCP
- Myc-tagMyc-tagA myc tag is a polypeptide protein tag derived from the c-myc gene product that can be added to a protein using recombinant DNA technology. It can be used for affinity chromatography, then used to separate recombinant, overexpressed protein from wild type protein expressed by the host organism...
- Calmodulin-tag
- FLAG-tagFLAG-tagFLAG-tag, or FLAG octapeptide, is a polypeptide protein tag that can be added to a protein using recombinant DNA technology. It can be used for affinity chromatography, then used to separate recombinant, overexpressed protein from wild-type protein expressed by the host organism...
- HA-tag
- His-tag
- Maltose binding proteinMaltose binding proteinMaltose-Binding Protein is a part of the maltose/maltodextrin system of Escherichia coli, which is responsible for the uptake and efficient catabolism of maltodextrins. It is a complex regulatory and transport system involving many proteins and protein complexes...
-tag - Nus-tag
- Glutathione-S-transferase-tag
- Green fluorescent proteinGreen fluorescent proteinThe green fluorescent protein is a protein composed of 238 amino acid residues that exhibits bright green fluorescence when exposed to blue light. Although many other marine organisms have similar green fluorescent proteins, GFP traditionally refers to the protein first isolated from the...
-tag - ThioredoxinThioredoxinThioredoxin is a class of small redox proteins known to be present in all organisms. It plays a role in many important biological processes. In humans, it is encoded by the TXN gene. Loss-of-function mutation of either of the two human thioredoxin genes is lethal at the four-cell stage of the...
-tag - S-tagS-tagS-tag is the name of an oligopeptide derived from pancreatic ribonuclease A . If RNase A is digested with subtilisin, a single peptide bond is cleaved, but the resulting two products remain weakly bound to each other and the protein, called ribonuclease S, remains active although each of the two...
- Softag 1
- Softag 3
- Strep-tagStrep-tagThe Strep-tag® system is a method which allows the purification and detection of proteins by affinity chromatography. The Strep-tag is a synthetic peptide consisting of eight amino acids...
- SBP-tagSBP-tagThe Streptavidin-Binding Peptide -Tag is a 38-amino acid sequence that may be engineered into recombinant proteins. Recombinant proteins containing the SBP-Tag bind to streptavidin and this property may be utilized in specific purification, detection or immobilization strategies.-Discovery:The...
- Ty tag
- V5 tag
- GFP tag
- TC tag
Applications
- Affinity purification
- Protein array
- Western blotting