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View additional product information for Pierce™ BCA Protein Assay Kits - FAQs (A55865, A55864, 23225, A65453, 23227)
10 product FAQs found
The Pierce BCA Protein Assay combines the well-known reduction of Cu2+ to Cu1+ by protein in an alkaline medium with the highly sensitive and selective colorimetric detection of the cuprous cation (Cu1+) by bicinchoninic acid (BCA). The first step is the chelation of copper with protein in an alkaline environment to form a light blue complex. In this reaction, known as the biuret reaction, peptides containing three or more amino acid residues form a colored chelate complex with cupric ions in an alkaline environment containing sodium potassium tartrate.
In the second step of the color development reaction, BCA reacts with the reduced (cuprous) cation that was formed in step one. The intense purple-colored reaction product results from the chelation of two molecules of BCA with one cuprous ion. The BCA/copper complex is water soluble and exhibits a strong linear absorbance at 562 nm with increasing protein concentrations. The complex is approximately 100 times more sensitive (lower limit of detection) than the pale blue color of the first reaction.
The reaction is strongly influenced by four amino acid residues (cysteine, cystine, tyrosine, and tryptophan) in the amino acid sequence of the protein. However, unlike Coomassie dye-binding methods (i.e., Bradford), the universal peptide backbone also contributes to color formation, helping to minimize variability caused by protein compositional differences.
Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Assays and Analysis Support Center.
Yes, the Pierce Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards, Multichannel Pipette Compatible, 0.125-2 mg/mL can be purchased separately (Cat. No. A55863).
Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Assays and Quantitation Support Center.
Pierce Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards are provided in a convenient 8-channel tubestrip. Each tube contains 1 mL of pre-diluted BSA protein standard at each concentration required for generating a standard curve. In the Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit with Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards, Multichannel Pipette Compatible (Cat. No. A55864, A55865), the BSA concentrations included are 2000, 1500, 1000, 750, 500, 250, and 125 µg/mL. Each tubestrip contains one empty tube which allows the user to add their own blank solution for the purpose of background correction. This convenient format eliminates the time-consuming dilution step required for other single-concentration protein standard formats like the Pierce Bovine Serum Albumin Standard Ampules, 2 mg/mL (Cat. No. 23209).
Additionally, the tubestrips are compatible with multichannel pipettes which allows the user to easily transfer the full standard curve dilution series (including blank) to a microplate simultaneously. This minimizes pipetting time associated with traditional protein standard preparation or pre-diluted protein standards which are typically packaged in 7 separate vials, requiring the user to open each vial and pipette each standard individually.
Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Assays and Quantitation Support Center.
The Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit with Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards (Cat. No. A55864, A55865) includes the same assay reagents (BCA Protein Assay Reagent A and BCA Protein Assay Reagent B) as the Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit (Cat. No. 23225, 23227). The only difference between the two products is the BSA protein standard format. While the Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit (Cat. No. 23225, 23227) includes the Pierce Bovine Serum Albumin Standard Ampules, 2 mg/mL (Cat. No. 23209), the Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit with Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards (Cat. No. A55864, A55865) includes BSA protein standards that are pre-diluted and packed in a convenient, multichannel pipette-friendly format. This format provides the following advantages:
-No protein standard dilution step needed
-High-throughput (multichannel pipette compatible)
-Blank tube provided for background correction
-Reduced hands-on assay time
-Reduced chances for pipetting errors
Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Assays and Quantitation Support Center.
We currently do not offer bovine gamma globulin (BGG) protein standards in the same multichannel pipette compatible format as the Pierce Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards. They are only available as Pierce Bovine Gamma Globulin Standard Ampules, 2 mg/mL (Cat. No. 23212) and Pierce Bovine Gamma Globulin Standard Pre-Diluted Set (Cat. No. 23213).
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The BSA in the Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards, Multichannel Pipette Compatible included in the Pierce Dilution-Free Rapid Gold BCA Protein Assay Kit (Cat. No. A55860, A55861, A55862) is identical to the BSA included in the Pierce Rapid Gold BCA Protein Assay Kit (Cat. No. A53225, A53226, A53227). It is also identical to the BSA found in Pierce Bovine Serum Albumin Standard Ampules, 2 mg/mL (Cat. No. 23209) and the Pierce Bovine Serum Albumin Standard Pre-Diluted Set (Cat. No. 23208).
Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Assays and Quantitation Support Center.
To ensure that the BSA standards remain free of contaminants, we recommend minimizing the time the tubestrips are uncovered/uncapped. Immediately place the capstrip over the tubes after each use. Be sure to press the caps firmly when closing so that it fits snugly. Store the Pierce Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards, Multichannel Pipette Compatible at 4 degrees C.
Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Assays and Quantitation Support Center.
For Pierce Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards, Multichannel Pipette Compatible, the tubestrip has a single printed label on the top-center of the first tube indicating the tube containing the 2 mg/mL concentration (for Cat. No. A55863) or 10 mg/mL concentration (for Cat. No. A56979). Each subsequent tube contains the next highest concentration in the dilution series. The end-tube opposite the printed label is left empty to allow the user to add their own blank solution for the purpose of background correction. On the capstrip, there is a small hole at one end that can be used to orient the caps. When placing the caps on the tubestrip, we recommend aligning the hole-side of the capstrip with the labeled side of the tubestrip.
Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Assays and Quantitation Support Center.
To access the BSA standards, hold one side of the tubestrip firmly and carefully pull the foil seal to remove it from the tubestrip. The standards come with a capstrip for convenient closing and storage between uses.
Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Assays and Quantitation Support Center.
The Pierce Dilution-Free BSA Protein Standards, Multichannel Pipette Compatible are covered under our general 1-year warranty and are guaranteed to be fully functional for 12 months from the date of shipment if stored as recommended. The product should be stored at 4 degrees C after opening. Please see section 8.1 of our Terms & Conditions of Sale (https://www.thermofisher.com/content/dam/LifeTech/Documents/PDFs/Terms-and-Conditions-of-Sale.pdf).
Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Assays and Quantitation Support Center.