SNAP-Cell® Starter Kit
Product informationCode | Name | Size | Quantity | Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
E9100S |
SNAP-Cell Starter Kit |
1 Kit | - | Unavailable in your region |
SNAP-Cell® Starter Kit
Catalog # | Size | Concentration |
---|---|---|
E9100S | 1 set |
Description
The SNAP-tag® is a novel tool for the specific, covalent attachment of virtually any molecule to a protein of interest, providing simplicity and extraordinary versatility to the imaging of proteins in live and fixed cells, and to the study of proteins in vitro. The creation of a single gene construct yields a tagged fusion protein capable of forming a covalent linkage to a variety of functional groups, including fluorophores, biotin, or beads. This system provides a powerful and unique tool to study the role of proteins in a variety of highly dynamic processes, including protein trafficking, turnover, and complex formation.The SNAP-tag is a 20 kDa mutant of the human DNA repair protein O6-alkylguanine- DNA alkyltransferase (hAGT) that reacts specifically and rapidly with benzylguanine (BG) and benzylchloropyrimidine (CP) derivatives, leading to covalent labeling of the SNAP-tag with a synthetic probe (Figure 1). The SNAP-tag has a number of features that make it ideal for a variety of protein labeling applications. The rate of the reaction of the SNAP-tag with these derivatives is largely independent of the nature of the synthetic probe attached to BG, permitting the labeling of SNAP fusion proteins with a wide variety of functional groups. Many of these SNAP-tag substrates are cell-permeable, allowing live-cell imaging of protein expression and localization (Figure 2). The ability to turn on the signal at will, together with the availability of a cell-permeable nonfluorescent blocking agent (SNAP-Cell® Block), allows time-resolved pulse-chase analysis of protein trafficking. Finally, the availability of orthogonal protein labeling systems from NEB permits simultaneous labeling of multiple proteins in a single cell (CLIP-tag™, a SNAP-tag variant that reacts exclusively with O2-benzylcytosine substrates, and the ACP/MCP tags, small protein tags which can be enzymatically labeled on the cell surface with Coenzyme A derivatives).
The SNAP-Cell Starter Kit contains a mammalian expression plasmid (pSNAPf) encoding the SNAP-tag flanked by restriction sites for cloning a gene of interest, and two cell-permeable fluorescent SNAP-tag substrates. A positive control plasmid (pSNAPf-Cox8A), encoding a SNAP-tagged protein (cytochrome c oxidase) with a well-characterized mitochondrial localization, is also included. Lastly, a negative control “blocking agent” (SNAP-Cell Block) is included that interacts with the SNAP-tag, but is not fluorescent. There are two steps to using this system: subcloning and expression of the protein of interest as a SNAPf fusion, and labeling of the fusion with the SNAP-tag substrate of choice.


Live CHO-K1 cells transiently transfected with pSNAPf-H2B. Cells were labeled with SNAP-Cell 505-star (green) for 15 minutes at 37°C, 5% CO2.

Kit Components
- pSNAPf Vector
- pSNAPf-Cox8A Control Plasmid
- SNAP-Cell® 505
- SNAP-Cell® TMR-Star
- SNAP-Cell® Block
Kit Components
The following reagents are supplied with this product:
Store at (°C) | Concentration | |
pSNAPf Vector | -20 | 0.5 mg/ml |
pSNAPf-Cox8A Control Plasmid | -20 | 0.5 mg/ml |
SNAP-Cell® 505-Star | 10 nmol | |
SNAP-Cell® TMR-Star | -20 | 6 nmol |
SNAP-Cell® Block | -20 | 20 nmol |
Properties and Usage
Materials Required but not Supplied
- Mammalian Cell Lines
- DNA Transfection Reagents
- Standard Tissue Culture Media and Plasticware
- DMSO
- Hoechst 33342 for Nuclear Staining (optional)
Storage Temperature
-20°CLicenses
Notice To Buyer/User: The Buyer/User has a non-exclusive license to use this system or any component thereof for RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES ONLY. Commercial use of this system or any components thereof requires a license from New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938.
Cellular Imaging and Analysis (i.e., SNAP and CLIP products)
Notice to Buyer/User: The Buyer/User has a non-exclusive license to use this system or any component thereof for RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ONLY. Commercial use of this system or any components thereof requires a license from New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938.
The products and/or their use may be covered by one or more of the following patents and patent applications:
Methods for Using O6-Alkylguanine-DNA-Alkyltransferases: US 7,939,284; US 8,367,361; EP 1 410 023; EP 2 037 271; EP 1 696 234; EP 2 211 177; JP 4195815; JP 4226053; CN 1295510; CN 1975422; and SG 100125.
Substrates for O6-Alkylguanine-DNA Alkyltransferase: US 7,799,524; and JP 4976651.
Mutants of O6-Alkylguanine-DNA-Alkyltransferases: US 7,888,090. EP 1720981 (pending).
Specific Substrates for O6-Alkylguanine-DNA-Alkyltransferases: US 8,163,479. EP 1730298 (pending).
While NEB develops and validates its products for various applications, the use of this product may require the buyer to obtain additional third party intellectual property rights for certain applications.
For more information about commercial rights, please contact NEB's Global Business Development team at gbd@neb.com.
This product is intended for research purposes only. This product is not intended to be used for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes in humans or animals.
Supporting Documents
- pSNAPf-Cox8A Control Plasmid
pSNAPf Vector
SNAP-Cell® 505-Star
SNAP-Cell® TMR-Star
SNAP-Cell® Block
Notes
- For long-term storage, all kit components should be stored at -20˚C. Plasmid solutions can be stored at 4˚C for up to one week. Undissolved dye and blocking substrates can be stored at 4˚C for up to 4 weeks protected from light and moisture. With proper storage at -20°C the substrates should be stable for at least three years dry or 3 months dissolved in DMSO.
- NEB 10-beta Competent E. coli (High Efficiency) (NEB #C3019) is recommended for propagating and subcloning of the vector and control plasmid.
- What is the SNAP-tag®?
- How does it work?
- How specific is the binding of substrate to the SNAP-tag®?
- How does SNAP-tag labeling differ from using GFP fusion proteins?
- What linker type and length would you recommend?
- Can I clone my protein as a fusion to the N- or C-terminus of the tags?
- What is the smallest peptide and biggest protein you have cloned as SNAP-tag fusions?
- What is the solubility of SNAP-tag in insect and bacterial expression systems?
- What competent cell strains does NEB suggest for expression in E. coli?
- What competent cell E. coli strains are suitable for propagating SNAP-tag plasmids?
- Can SNAP-tag fusions be purified and refolded from inclusion bodies?
- Are substrates toxic to cells?
- How does SNAP-tag affect localization of the fusion partner?
- Can I use cell lines which express endogenous AGT?
- How stable is the labeled protein in mammalian cells?
- Are SNAP-tag substrates stable to fixation?
- Can cells expressing SNAP-tag be fixed prior to labeling?
- Can SNAP-tag be multiplexed with other protein labeling systems (GFP, Antibody)?
- Can you use SNAP-tag for in vivo FRET?
- Can cell-impermeable substrates be microinjected into cells, and how is the excess substrate exported?
- Does the SNAP-tag labeling reaction work in yeast?
- What happens to the fluorophore upon proteolysis?
- What conditions are recommended for SNAP-tag labeling in vitro?
- What conditions are incompatible with SNAP-tag labeling in vitro?
- Can SNAP-tag fusion proteins be labeled in a cell lysate?
- I have a compound that I would like to couple to a BG derivative. Where can I get advice?
- What is the difference between SNAP-tag and ACP-tag?
- What is the difference between SNAP- and CLIP-tag?
- Cellular Imaging and Analysis FAQs
Application Notes
Companion Products
- dam-/dcm- Competent E. coli
- Anti-SNAP-tag® Antibody (Polyclonal)
- pSNAP-tag® (T7)-2 Vector
- pSNAPf -ADRβ2 Control Plasmid
- pSNAPf-Cox8A Control Plasmid
- pSNAPf-H2B Control Plasmid
- SNAP-Biotin®
- SNAP-Cell® 360
- SNAP-Cell® 430
- SNAP-Cell® 505-Star
- SNAP-Cell® Block
- SNAP-Cell® Fluorescein
- SNAP-Cell® Oregon Green®
- SNAP-Cell® TMR-Star
- SNAP-tag® Purified Protein
- SNAP-Vista® Blue
- SNAP-Vista® Green
The supporting documents available for this product can be downloaded below.