Concanavalin A Coated Plates

Concanavalin A (ConA)-coated plates are specialized microplates used for the binding and detection of glycoproteins, polysaccharides, and other carbohydrate-containing biomolecules. ConA is a plant-derived lectin with high specificity for α-mannosyl and α-glucosyl residues, making these plates essential in glycoprotein analysis, carbohydrate research, and related fields.

Content and Properties of ConA-Coated Plates

• Material Composition:
  • Plates are typically made from polystyrene with a uniform coating of Concanavalin A.
  • The coating is immobilized via adsorption or covalent attachment for enhanced stability and reusability.
• Binding Characteristics:
  • Specific for carbohydrate moieties such as mannose and glucose residues.
  • Able to bind glycoproteins, glycolipids, and polysaccharides efficiently.
• Well Formats:
  • Commonly available in 96-well and 384-well configurations for varying throughput needs.
  • Flat-bottom designs optimize compatibility with plate readers.
• Surface Properties:
  • High-binding surfaces enhance the immobilization of glycoproteins.
  • Low background interference ensures high sensitivity in detection assays.
• Color Options:
  • Transparent plates for colorimetric assays.
  • Black or white plates for fluorescence and luminescence assays, respectively.

Applications of ConA-Coated Plates

• Glycoprotein Binding and Detection:
  • Used in assays for the analysis and quantification of glycosylated proteins.
• Carbohydrate Interaction Studies:
  • Ideal for studying carbohydrate-protein or carbohydrate-ligand interactions.
• Enzyme-Linked Lectin Assays (ELLA):
  • Applied in lectin-based immunoassays for detecting specific carbohydrate moieties.
• Drug Discovery:
  • Screening for inhibitors of glycoprotein-carbohydrate interactions.
• Vaccine Development:
  • Analysis of glycosylation patterns in vaccine antigens or glycoprotein-based therapeutics.

ConA-coated plates are indispensable tools for glycoprotein research and carbohydrate-based assays. Their specificity for mannose- and glucose-containing molecules makes them highly valuable in molecular biology, diagnostics, and drug discovery.